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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of private eye
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
One Battle, like his other recent movies, is based on a book by Thomas Pynchon, the James Joyce of private eye novelists.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private eye
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
One Battle, like his other recent movies, is based on a book by Thomas Pynchon, the James Joyce of private eye novelists.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private eye
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private eye
Noun
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Within two years, Torres’ political career was crashing down amid a scandal that surfaced publicly in October 2024 when he was detained and questioned by San Jose detectives.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
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De Niro plays a reverend in Los Angeles; Duvall is his homicide-detective brother.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Game and Fish investigators requested camera video from homeowners in the areas where poaching activity was known to have occurred.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
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According to the subsequent findings of state investigators, Cooke took the child to the basement of her home and placed her in a Pack ‘n Play portable crib for a nap.—
Clark Kauffman,
Iowa Capital Dispatch,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The recipients spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on private detectives and expert analysis.—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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In an alternate version of 1940s Hollywood where cartoon characters live alongside humans, private detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) tries to get to the bottom of who framed toon star Roger Rabbit for murder.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Did the Guthries hire their own private investigator?—
Stephanie Innes,
AZCentral.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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Once upon a time, there was a TV show about three little girls who went to the police academy and then became private investigators.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Private eye.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20eye. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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