as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the retired policeman decided to become a private investigator
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of private investigator
Marking writer-director Will Bridges’ follow-up to the Apple sci-fi romance All of You, starring Brett Goldstein and Imogen Poots, Tumor delves into the story of a low-level Los Angeles private investigator (Rockwell).
—
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026
This is all part of Harry’s civil lawsuit against ANL for unlawful information gathering, including phone tapping and the use of private investigators.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 2 Apr. 2026
They are interrupted by Milton Arbogast, a private investigator hired by Mary’s boss.
—Therie Hendrey-Seabrook, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2026
At one point, a private investigator (not a cop) explains why the killer has to be a certain height, and then the show keeps hinting at suspects who don’t fit the description.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for private investigator
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026
This is all part of Harry’s civil lawsuit against ANL for unlawful information gathering, including phone tapping and the use of private investigators.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 2 Apr. 2026
They are interrupted by Milton Arbogast, a private investigator hired by Mary’s boss.
—Therie Hendrey-Seabrook, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2026
At one point, a private investigator (not a cop) explains why the killer has to be a certain height, and then the show keeps hinting at suspects who don’t fit the description.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for private investigator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private investigator
Noun
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Senior Deputy District Attorney Devan Portillo, of the DA Office’s special prosecutions unit, handled the case, with support from a Placer County Sheriff’s Office detective assigned to the county’s Opioid Response Team.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2026
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After a lengthy investigation found there was no evidence to suggest that the crash was intentional, detectives determined that Gutierrez likely fell asleep at the wheel.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Forensic investigators will determine whether the shooting was accidental, police said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Kemp said investigators suspect the Brantley County fire was sparked by an aluminum party balloon that touched live power lines, creating an electrical arc that sparked flames on the ground.—
Emilie Megnien,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The movie was made even stranger by then-Hollywood heavyweights like Jackie Chan, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robert Evans playing heightened versions of themselves — not to mention an unsettling performance by Harvey Weinstein as a private detective that has, to put it mildly, not aged well.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
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The trio took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles as part of a PaleyFest event commemorating five decades of Charlie's Angels, the groundbreaking ABC series that followed a group of female private detectives.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Because this is a Jean-Luc Godard film, only Lemmy Caution (Eddie Constantine), a rumpled American private eye who seems to have stepped straight out of one of the classic Hollywood noirs Godard loved.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2026
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The Palladino Files – When legendary private eye Jack Palladino is murdered, one of his old targets, Ronan Farrow,takes up the case.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Private investigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20investigator. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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