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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of private detective
Farrell stars as private detective John Sugar in Sugar, who is investigating the disappearance of Olivia Siegel — the granddaughter of wealthy Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell).
—
Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
But after her best friend’s death, getting dumped, and her father’s fall from grace as the local sheriff, Veronica is a high school outsider by day and a private detective by night.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Following her performances as southern womanizer Jamie in Drive-Away Dolls and fearless private detective Honey O’Donahue in Honey Don’t!
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
The driver of the vehicle, Ball, began firing shots — injuring both Anne’s chauffeur, Alex Callender, and private detective, James Beaton — before climbing in the front seat and ordering the princess to get out before he was stopped by a passerby.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private detective
Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
But after her best friend’s death, getting dumped, and her father’s fall from grace as the local sheriff, Veronica is a high school outsider by day and a private detective by night.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Following her performances as southern womanizer Jamie in Drive-Away Dolls and fearless private detective Honey O’Donahue in Honey Don’t!
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
The driver of the vehicle, Ball, began firing shots — injuring both Anne’s chauffeur, Alex Callender, and private detective, James Beaton — before climbing in the front seat and ordering the princess to get out before he was stopped by a passerby.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private detective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private detective
Noun
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The original Heat starred Pacino as Vincent Hanna, the LAPD detective investigating bank robber Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro).—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
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The next detective retired a few years later while under investigation for discrimination, harrassment and falsifying information during a homicide investigation.—
Keith Sharon,
Nashville Tennessean,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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His claims were verified when investigators checked out the grave sites.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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The driver of the Nissan stayed at the scene of the crash and cooperated with investigators, police said.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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He’s backed up by a superb supporting cast as well, including the honey-voiced Keith David as private eye Marty, the Buffy reboot’s new slayer Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Lee’s daughter Francis and the always-great Kyle MacLachlan as slick gubernatorial candidate Donald Washberg.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
23 Sep. 2025
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The film written by Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke stars Margaret Qualley as a small-town private eye working a case of strange deaths at a mysterious church.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Based on the book by Slow Horses scribe Mick Herron, in Down Cemetery Road, when a house explodes in a quiet Oxford suburb and a girl disappears in the aftermath, neighbor Sarah Trafford (Wilson) becomes obsessed with finding her and enlists the help of private investigator Zoë Boehm (Thompson).—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
29 Sep. 2025
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The network has given a series order to RJ Decker (a working title), starring Scott Speedman as a South Florida private investigator.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Private detective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20detective. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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