as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
unable to get the interest of the police, they hired a private eye to find their missing daughter
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Recent Examples of private eye
Brian Albert, former Boston cop and now Brockton private eye extraordinaire, will hold a press conference to announce the hiring of his two newest very ethical crack sleuths – Michael Proctor and Kelly Dever.
—
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
The novel sometimes reads like a prequel to Gravity’s Rainbow; the private eye, Hicks McTaggart, moving through a universe already vibrating with the same febrile harmonics that will later detonate in the Second World War.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
The new second season takes the unlikely private eye to a college campus to suss out a blackmail scheme, and TV critic Kelly Lawler writes in her ★★★ review that the show has found its way a bit more.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Nov. 2025
Sally pauses her work as Marty holds court, sharing war stories from his decades as a private eye.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private eye
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
The novel sometimes reads like a prequel to Gravity’s Rainbow; the private eye, Hicks McTaggart, moving through a universe already vibrating with the same febrile harmonics that will later detonate in the Second World War.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
The new second season takes the unlikely private eye to a college campus to suss out a blackmail scheme, and TV critic Kelly Lawler writes in her ★★★ review that the show has found its way a bit more.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Nov. 2025
Sally pauses her work as Marty holds court, sharing war stories from his decades as a private eye.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private eye
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private eye
Noun
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On Tuesday night, Orosco flew back to the United States, escorted by Miami-Dade Sheriff's detectives and the FBI.—
Anna McAllister,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Days after the incident, detectives received pictures and messages from Smith’s Snapchat account indicating an arrangement between Williams and Smith to purchase marijuana.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But Johnson-Swartz began calling and texting in the days that followed, the student told investigators.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
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In a related email to Abbott, neonatologist Robert White of Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana, and Pediatrix Medical Group — an investigator in the study — explained his concerns.—
David Hilzenrath,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Stanley also has a series on private detective Miranda Corbie set in pre-World War II San Francisco.—
Oline H. Cogdill,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
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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
Noun
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At the time this story was published, an attempt to reach the private investigator did not receive a response.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
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At one point, a private investigator (not a cop) explains why the killer has to be a certain height, and then the show keeps hinting at suspects who don’t fit the description.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Private eye.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20eye. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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