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
In that time, Will has started over as a private eye in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.
—
Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 7 Jan. 2025
When a judge tentatively allowed the music to bang on this fall, sonic private eyes and city officials patrolled the neighborhood with microphones and decibel meters, gathering ammunition for the battle.
—Katie Thornton, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024
Most recently, the actor worked opposite Colin Farrell in Apple TV+’s twisty private eye series Sugar (2024–present).
—Madeline Cisneros, EW.com, 22 Nov. 2024
Worse yet, a seedy private eye (Kevin Bacon) starts invading Maxine’s personal space and threatens to expose her murderous past.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for private eye
Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 7 Jan. 2025
When a judge tentatively allowed the music to bang on this fall, sonic private eyes and city officials patrolled the neighborhood with microphones and decibel meters, gathering ammunition for the battle.
—Katie Thornton, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024
Most recently, the actor worked opposite Colin Farrell in Apple TV+’s twisty private eye series Sugar (2024–present).
—Madeline Cisneros, EW.com, 22 Nov. 2024
Worse yet, a seedy private eye (Kevin Bacon) starts invading Maxine’s personal space and threatens to expose her murderous past.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for private eye
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private eye
Noun
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Last fans saw, she was picked up by two New York Police Department officers who escorted her off a bus and told her detectives at the police station had questions for her about Famous' death.—
Julia Moore,
People.com,
9 May 2025
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On the day of the killing, police said that Hawkins was cooperating with detectives’ investigation.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 May 2025
Noun
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Similarly, in October 2023, Orange County investigators used the technology to identity Michael Ray Schlicht of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, whose body had been found in 1974 near in unincorporated Laguna Hills, now the city of Aliso Viejo, California.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
13 May 2025
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With a fingerprint match in hand, Santa Clara County investigators and San Jose police traveled to Ohio earlier this year to collect a DNA sample from Sims, with assistance from Ashtabula County authorities.—
Bethany Brown,
People.com,
12 May 2025
Noun
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Loser of the Week Michael McMahon, a retired NYPD sergeant turned private detective, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his part in harassing and stalking a Chinese expatriate named Xu Jin, who is wanted by his homeland’s government.—
Thomas Brewster,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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At the end of A Simple Favor, Emily (Lively) goes to prison and Stephanie (Kendrick) moonlights as a private detective, which makes her mommy vlog more interesting and extremely popular.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
The Hollywood Reporter,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The series centers on Cage’s titular character who is an aging and down on his luck private investigator in 1930s New York; he’s later forced to grapple with his past life as the city’s one and only superhero, as the logline teases.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
12 May 2025
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As the legal arguments escalated and spilt into the public, Magnier and McManus applied pressure on Ferguson in January 2004 by issuing 99 questions on United’s transfer dealings, buying more shares and hiring private investigators.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
11 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Private eye.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20eye. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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