as in detectives
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 detectives
The trio took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles as part of a PaleyFest event commemorating five decades of Charlie's Angels, the groundbreaking ABC series that followed a group of female private detectives.
—
Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Jackson was involved with the show — which followed three beautiful private detectives — from the very beginning, helping Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg put together the idea after her time on The Rookies.
—Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
Richard Bronswijk, who heads the Dutch police art crime unit, says he's seen private detectives create problems when money is the driver.
—Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 21 Mar. 2026
The untitled half-hour project is a workplace comedy set in the world of private detectives, which continues the proud tradition of Los Angeles private eyes that began with Philip Marlowe and will end with this show.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
And after testimony in Miami one day, former Police Chief and Carollo foe Art Acevedo, was followed from the courthouse to a restaurant in Coral Gables by a couple of private detectives.
—Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
The recipients spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on private detectives and expert analysis.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
The publisher has argued that evidence from private detectives can't be trusted.
—Ramy Inocencio, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Jackson was involved with the show — which followed three beautiful private detectives — from the very beginning, helping Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg put together the idea after her time on The Rookies.
—Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
Richard Bronswijk, who heads the Dutch police art crime unit, says he's seen private detectives create problems when money is the driver.
—Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 21 Mar. 2026
The untitled half-hour project is a workplace comedy set in the world of private detectives, which continues the proud tradition of Los Angeles private eyes that began with Philip Marlowe and will end with this show.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
And after testimony in Miami one day, former Police Chief and Carollo foe Art Acevedo, was followed from the courthouse to a restaurant in Coral Gables by a couple of private detectives.
—Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
The recipients spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on private detectives and expert analysis.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
The publisher has argued that evidence from private detectives can't be trusted.
—Ramy Inocencio, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private detectives
Noun
-
Wentworth Area detectives were investigating.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The pair of Brooklyn North narcotics detectives involved in the clash thought the man matched the description of someone who had just made a drug sale, a police source said.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Surveillance cameras and license plate readers are commonly used by investigators and have rarely been challenged.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The suspect accused of leading troopers on a police chase through Buckhead before crashing at one of the area's busiest intersections has now been identified, according to an update from investigators.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Health projects that Naqvi had promised had come to nothing, and the Gates Foundation and other investors hired private investigators to trace the whereabouts of their money.—
Hettie O'Brien,
The Dial,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Charlie's Angels centered on three private investigators who, under orders from their enigmatic but never visible boss, Charlie Townsend, solved cases together using their wits and style.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The untitled half-hour project is a workplace comedy set in the world of private detectives, which continues the proud tradition of Los Angeles private eyes that began with Philip Marlowe and will end with this show.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Private detectives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20detectives. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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