investigators

plural of investigator
1
as in researchers
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 detectives
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

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.
Recent Examples of investigators Now federal investigators say criminals turned that everyday habit into a way to steal bank logins and drain accounts. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026 Police said the driver involved remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Sep. 2026 Greg Baker Early on, investigators and the family believed Erica had been abducted. — Yana Johnson, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026 Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA was sending investigators and issued a full ground stop at Miami International as emergency crews responded. — Staff and Wire Reports, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026 Likewise, many people believed that Silver would avoid imposing a harsh punishment on Ballmer, or that the investigators would evade asking tough questions. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026 Homicide investigators and crime scene technicians canvassed the area for evidence and witnesses. — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026 Because one of the boy's family members had measles, investigators tested the boy's lung tissue and found evidence of measles infection, Diamantoni said. — Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026 Health investigators are working to identify additional people who may have been exposed. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for investigators
Noun
  • Next, the researchers plan to do broader studies that can track exposure throughout pregnancy and examine whether the associations can be replicated across different populations.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
  • But even if researchers determine that cancer rates are unusually high, Wiemels cautions there may never be a definitive explanation.
    — Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In January, detectives seized several items during a search of Oak Park Station, including a vehicle, a motorcycle, and some electronic devices.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel were gathering evidence and searching for witnesses Friday afternoon.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 19 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Investigators.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/investigators. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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