sherlocks

noun

plural of sherlock
as in detectives
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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sherlocks
  1. detectives
  2. investigators
  3. private detectives
Noun
  • Anyone with information is asked to call KCPD homicide detectives at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Sheriff’s officials said the detectives later identified Morales Garcia, Farfan Ambriz and Medina as suspects in the homicide and obtained arrest warrants for them.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of detectives
Noun
  • The investigators notified the Mexican army, providing the license plate number.
    — Steve Fisher Special Correspondent Follow, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • This month, Philadelphia police and FBI investigators returned to the Horsch house, searching for any physical evidence that could confirm what the horrific images appear to show.
    — Danny Freeman, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of investigators
Noun
  • Meanwhile, private detectives probed Hadley’s vulnerabilities as a witness.
    — Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of private detectives
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.

Browse Nearby Words

sherlock
sherlocks
sheugh
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Cite this Entry

“Sherlocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sherlocks. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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