as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the popular TV sleuth lives a much more action-packed life than do his real-world counterparts
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sleuth
Independent sleuths can interfere with active investigations.
—
The Week Us, TheWeek, 4 May 2026
No region of the state has more bears than Central Florida, which a sleuth has put at 1,200 bears.
—Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
Online sleuths have been successful in flagging suspicious trades such as the bet that prosecutors say Van Dyke placed on Maduro's capture.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Social media sleuths had already dug up wild comments from Russini about Vrabel and her husband before Vrabel’s decision to step away on Wednesday, but the additional posts that were found appeared to be too much for Russini.
—Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleuth
The Week Us, TheWeek, 4 May 2026
No region of the state has more bears than Central Florida, which a sleuth has put at 1,200 bears.
—Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
Online sleuths have been successful in flagging suspicious trades such as the bet that prosecutors say Van Dyke placed on Maduro's capture.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Social media sleuths had already dug up wild comments from Russini about Vrabel and her husband before Vrabel’s decision to step away on Wednesday, but the additional posts that were found appeared to be too much for Russini.
—Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleuth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleuth
Noun
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Guy Ritchie directed both Sherlock Holmes films, which starred Jude Law as the titular detective's sidekick Watson.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
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Her detective Lord Peter Wimsey was usually to be found in the upper-class households and clubs that defined a certain strata of English society in the 1920s and 1930s.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
Noun
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On Thursday, investigators searched a property on Blackie Road in Prunedale, where detectives found a skid steer, forklift and four-stall luxury restroom trailer, each reported stolen from a Salinas rental construction business in November 2025, the office said.—
Kassia Bonesteel,
CBS News,
23 May 2026
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At the time the alert system was activated, investigators believed the kids were in extreme danger, ABC affiliate WJCL reported.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sleuth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleuth. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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