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
Over the weekend, as online sleuths scoured photos of Trump for evidence of any frailty, the political scientist Ian Bremmer pointed out that obsessive scrutiny of a leader’s health is a hallmark of authoritarian countries.
—
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Following the incident, which took place after a match involving Polish tennis star Kamil Majchrzak, internet sleuths quickly identified the man as Piotr Szczerek, the millionaire owner of Drogbruk.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
But some schmuck producer somewhere out there in Hollywood doesn't agree, and hopefully some internet sleuths will figure out who the person is and shame them.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Swift wore a striped silk-blend dress in shades of cream and black by Ralph Lauren for the proposal, according to internet sleuths and reports in People and Harper's Bazaar.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleuth
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Following the incident, which took place after a match involving Polish tennis star Kamil Majchrzak, internet sleuths quickly identified the man as Piotr Szczerek, the millionaire owner of Drogbruk.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
But some schmuck producer somewhere out there in Hollywood doesn't agree, and hopefully some internet sleuths will figure out who the person is and shame them.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Swift wore a striped silk-blend dress in shades of cream and black by Ralph Lauren for the proposal, according to internet sleuths and reports in People and Harper's Bazaar.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleuth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleuth
Noun
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Anyone with information regarding the man’s death can contact homicide detectives at 816-234-5043 or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
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This time, police taped off the house and questioned Sutton-Schulman for two hours until a detective got a call from the hospital confirming that L had attempted suicide in the woods behind the house.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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After witnessing Nillo driving erratically after leaving the commissioner’s apartment building, investigators stopped her and seized the vehicle.—
Joey Flechas,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
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This suspect has now been stopped in his tracks because of the diligent and tenacious work done by investigators at both the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sleuth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleuth. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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