Synonyms of private eye

private eye

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• detective
• investigator
• private detective
• private investigator
• operative
• dick
• hawkshaw
• sleuth
• sleuthhound
• gumshoe
• shamus
• sherlock
• tracer
• tracker
• tail
• Federal
• fed
• shadow
• narc
• plainclothesman
• G-man

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of private eye

Nicolas Cage, in his first live-action television role, plays Ben Reilly, a down-at-the-heels private eye, spiking his morning coffee with whiskey helpfully provided by his knowing secretary, Janet (Karen Rodriguez), and barely scraping by on the occasional divorce case. — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026

Set in 1979, the series follows Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian young woman with a love of film and pulp novels who travels to California to reconnect with her estranged uncle – a semi-retired private eye once celebrated for having married the starlet he was originally hired to find. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 May 2026

The Palladino Files – When legendary private eye Jack Palladino is murdered, one of his old targets, Ronan Farrow,takes up the case. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026

Krysten Ritter plays Jessica Jones, a former superhero battling PTSD and working as a private eye. — David Faris, TheWeek, 20 Apr. 2026