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
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hawkshaw
Noun
-
The victim’s relatives showed detectives a photo of Ackerman and the victim in the same area the victim’s body had been located, according to an affidavit.—
Caroline Zimmerman
July 7,
Kansas City Star,
8 July 2025 -
Meanwhile, back at the Marine Mammal Care Center, the scientific detective work is about to begin.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
But in Hartig’s formal response posted to the body’s website on Wednesday, July 9, Hartig revealed her own bevy of concerns with judicial investigators and county prosecutors alike.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
11 July 2025
-
Maya Lau, an investigative journalist and financial investigator, hosts the podcast.—
Anne Easton,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
On one level, Resuscitation of a Hanged Man is a private eye novel.—
Dwyer Murphy
June 24,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
-
The idea of a lesbian private eye isn’t even that new either, since Jess Franco had two in a pair of his most enjoyable exploitation movies (Sadisterotika and Kiss Me, Monster, both 1969).—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
24 May 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Hawkshaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hawkshaw. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share