as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
when the police insisted that it was an accident and not murder, she hired a private detective
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of private detective
That version had Zendaya’s Rue grow up to be a private detective.
—
Zoe Guy, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025
In addition to hacking phones, the tabloids hired private detectives and encouraged journalists to lie and misrepresent themselves to gain access to highly personal data.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
Colorado private detective Ollie Gray and his partner, John Sangustin, were hired by the Ramseys in 1999.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2024
Jacobson played the scheming private detective Erin Jones in 22 episodes of Falcon Crest from 1985-87, the CBS primetime soap about a wealthy California wine family.
—Zoe G. Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for private detective
Zoe Guy, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025
In addition to hacking phones, the tabloids hired private detectives and encouraged journalists to lie and misrepresent themselves to gain access to highly personal data.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
Colorado private detective Ollie Gray and his partner, John Sangustin, were hired by the Ramseys in 1999.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2024
Jacobson played the scheming private detective Erin Jones in 22 episodes of Falcon Crest from 1985-87, the CBS primetime soap about a wealthy California wine family.
—Zoe G. Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for private detective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private detective
Noun
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Last fans saw, she was picked up by two New York Police Department officers who escorted her off a bus and told her detectives at the police station had questions for her about Famous' death.—
Julia Moore,
People.com,
9 May 2025
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Resurrection, a sci-fi detective movie from Chinese director Bi Gan (Long Day’s Journey Into Night), is a late addition to this year’s competition.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
8 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
Noun
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The series centers on Cage’s titular character who is an aging and down on his luck private investigator in 1930s New York; he’s later forced to grapple with his past life as the city’s one and only superhero, as the logline teases.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
12 May 2025
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As the legal arguments escalated and spilt into the public, Magnier and McManus applied pressure on Ferguson in January 2004 by issuing 99 questions on United’s transfer dealings, buying more shares and hiring private investigators.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
11 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Private detective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20detective. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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