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
In the second movie in Ethan Coen and his wife Tricia Cooke’s lesbian B-movie trilogy (the first was the fizzy Drive Away Dolls), Margaret Qualley plays Honey, a stylish private detective trying to solve a case that involves a cult.
—
James Grebey, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for private detective
James Grebey, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for private detective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private detective
Noun
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At the time, detectives in each jurisdiction had no idea the cases were connected.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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But, like any committed noir detective, I was left with more questions than anything else.—
Charlie Markbreiter,
Them.,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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No injuries were reported, but investigators recovered two pieces of shrapnel measuring approximately one to two inches long.—
Christina Shaw,
FOXNews.com,
20 Oct. 2025
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French authorities swarmed the museum in the 24 hours following, with photographs from outside the famed museum showing forensics investigators searching the scene for clues.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Thomas Pynchon's first novel in 12 years, Shadow Ticket, is a mystery that dives into the disappearance of a cheese heiress and draws private eye Hicks McTaggart down a rabbit hole.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
10 Oct. 2025
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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
Noun
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Ryan Couch, a former volunteer private investigator who had been working with the Engelbert family on the missing persons case, told Cowboy State Daily that the remains were located three to five miles from where Engelbert was last seen walking alone, as captured in the surveillance footage.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
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According to court records, Recio agreed to bribe Costanzo, who was the DEA supervisor in Miami, in exchange for his providing the private investigator with confidential information about narcotics investigations.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Private detective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20detective. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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