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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
  • In January, detectives seized several items during a search of Oak Park Station, including a vehicle, a motorcycle, and some electronic devices.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel were gathering evidence and searching for witnesses Friday afternoon.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of detectives
Noun
  • Now federal investigators say criminals turned that everyday habit into a way to steal bank logins and drain accounts.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Police said the driver involved remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Sep. 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 25 Sep. 2026.

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