1
as in researcher
one who observes or studies by close examination and systematic inquiry
investigators who discovered new evidence that the universe was much older than had been previously estimated
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2
as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the investigator in charge of the case was touted as an expert at tracing stolen art
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Recent Examples of investigator
Gonzalez reportedly told investigators that the two killings were self-defense.
—
Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
Elkins-Tanton is a professor of planetary science at Arizona State University and the Psyche mission’s principal investigator.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 9 May 2026
At one point, the 4-year-old lifted the blanket, exposing his bare stomach, and Berrios-Otero’s hand could allegedly be seen appearing to be below the child’s stomach area, an investigator wrote in the warrant affidavits.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
For investigators, these chat logs can provide valuable insights into a suspect’s mindset and motive.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for investigator
Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
Elkins-Tanton is a professor of planetary science at Arizona State University and the Psyche mission’s principal investigator.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 9 May 2026
At one point, the 4-year-old lifted the blanket, exposing his bare stomach, and Berrios-Otero’s hand could allegedly be seen appearing to be below the child’s stomach area, an investigator wrote in the warrant affidavits.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
For investigators, these chat logs can provide valuable insights into a suspect’s mindset and motive.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for investigator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for investigator
Noun
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In 2021, researchers at Brown University found that toddlers who were born during the pandemic had significantly lower verbal, motor and overall cognitive performance compared to toddlers born in the previous decade.—
Stacker,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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People who ate eggs one to three times per month, or once a week, had a 17% lower risk of Alzheimer’s, the researchers found.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Noun
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That evening, a detective assigned to a robbery intervention detail tried to stop a black Mercedes-Benz at Northwest 17th Avenue and 71st Street, according to a MDSO video.—
Sofia Saric,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
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His gift is an uncanny ability to solve crimes that leave the LAPD baffled, armed only with the savvy and dry humor reminiscent of the gumshoe detectives of the noir genre.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Investigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/investigator. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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