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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of investigator
To characterize the new mode, Kyle Uckert, SHERLOC’s deputy principal investigator at NASA’s JPL, and his colleagues collected spectra from spare flight optics in their own lab.
—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
4 July 2026
Police investigators identified the location after police received information about fireworks being advertised on social media.
—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 July 2026
The airplane was not equipped with a crashworthy voice or data recorder, like those that record flight data on commercial planes, nor was it required to be, investigators said.
—
ABC News,
3 July 2026
As the search continued, investigators recovered additional human remains from Lake Mattoon before identifying the victim as Turner through what officials described as a thorough investigation.
—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
3 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for investigator
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
4 July 2026
Police investigators identified the location after police received information about fireworks being advertised on social media.
—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 July 2026
The airplane was not equipped with a crashworthy voice or data recorder, like those that record flight data on commercial planes, nor was it required to be, investigators said.
—
ABC News,
3 July 2026
As the search continued, investigators recovered additional human remains from Lake Mattoon before identifying the victim as Turner through what officials described as a thorough investigation.
—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
3 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for investigator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for investigator
Noun
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Rather than replacing traditional physics calculations, the machine learning system acts as a filter, allowing researchers to focus computational resources on the most promising candidates.
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The long-term health effects of the fire and its smoke probably won’t be known unless researchers conduct a follow-up study, said Eisenman of UCLA.
Noun
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My dad, a police detective, made sure the Klansman saw his service revolver on his waist.
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Police ask any witnesses who were not contacted by authorities at the scene to contact detectives at (805) 654-9511.
Cite this Entry
“Investigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/investigator. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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