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 woman showed detectives her call history and a text thread with Stumph, confirming her statement, court records said.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2025 -
Check out this exclusive clip from the new season, in which the detectives try to help a bird colony on the seashore track down a missing egg.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
20 May 2025
Noun
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Similarly, in October 2023, Orange County investigators used the technology to identity Michael Ray Schlicht of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, whose body had been found in 1974 near in unincorporated Laguna Hills, now the city of Aliso Viejo, California.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
13 May 2025
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When investigators found the listeria on the Fresh & Ready equipment this year, scientists at the FDA used whole genome sequencing analysis, which confirmed that the strain of listeria found at Fresh & Ready Foods matched the strain of listeria causing illnesses in the 2024 outbreak.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2025
Noun
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Levitt stars in Killer Heat as Nick Bali, a private eye who travels to the Greek island of Crete to investigate the death of shipping magnate Leo Vardakis (Richard Madden), who plunged to his death during a free solo rock climb.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes,
26 Sep. 2024
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The film closes with Stephanie thriving as a successful vlogger and part-time private eye while Emily, ever the con artist, adjusts to life in prison.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
14 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Hawkshaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hawkshaw. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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