as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the firm hired a hawkshaw to find out who was fencing stock from their warehouse
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hawkshaw
Noun
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The lead detective investigating the murder of University of Miami football star Bryan Pata, testifying in court Tuesday, said cell phone records placed Pata’s former teammate near the Kendall murder scene and a UM professor picked him out of photo lineup.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026 -
She’s worked in the county in a variety of roles, like as a detective, a crime scene evidence technician and a field training officer.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The sheriff's office confirmed investigators are looking into investigative genetic genealogy, a relatively new forensic tool made possible by the rise in popularity of consumer genetic testing, where people can send their DNA to find out about their ancestry and locate potential relatives.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
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The defense attorney has told the judge that Dratman and Fischer failed to call up a witness who gave investigators an alibi for Serafini on the day his wife’s parents were shot.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Princess Lilibet and her brother, Prince Archie, 6, are often kept out of the private eye by their parents, but the siblings have recently been featured in a number of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's photos — and some of their philanthropic work.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
17 Jan. 2026
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On Friday, the network added a comedy, a private eye show from Brooklyn Nine-Nine alumni Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Hawkshaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hawkshaw. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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