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
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
The death of a guest jolts the wedding party and reawakens Stephanie’s dormant private detective career.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private detective
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
The death of a guest jolts the wedding party and reawakens Stephanie’s dormant private detective career.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private detective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private detective
Noun
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The second season is set to bow next year with Hodge set to return as the iconic detective.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
30 Sep. 2025
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During his confession, Jones said the Nestors hired him to clean around their business — and told detectives what led up to the killings.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Hamilton County Coroner's Office investigators are looking for relatives or friends of a West End woman who died recently.—
Enquirer staff,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Sep. 2025
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In mid-2020, investigators had a major breakthrough.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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Short version: In this movie co-written and directed by Ethan Coen, Margaret Qualley plays a swaggering, small-town private eye whose investigations into a series of strange deaths lead her to a mysterious church run by a charismatic (and corrupt) preacher played by Chris Evans.—
Chris Foran,
jsonline.com,
20 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 3 Oct. 2025.
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