as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
one of literature's most eccentric sherlocks, Nero Wolfe manages to solve mysteries without so much as leaving the confines of his own home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sherlock
Noun
-
Within two years, Torres’ political career was crashing down amid a scandal that surfaced publicly in October 2024 when he was detained and questioned by San Jose detectives.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026 -
De Niro plays a reverend in Los Angeles; Duvall is his homicide-detective brother.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Game and Fish investigators requested camera video from homeowners in the areas where poaching activity was known to have occurred.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
-
According to the subsequent findings of state investigators, Cooke took the child to the basement of her home and placed her in a Pack ‘n Play portable crib for a nap.—
Clark Kauffman,
Iowa Capital Dispatch,
14 Feb. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Sherlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sherlock. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
