1
as in researcher
one who observes or studies by close examination and systematic inquiry
investigators who discovered new evidence that the universe was much older than had been previously estimated
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2
as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the investigator in charge of the case was touted as an expert at tracing stolen art
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Recent Examples of investigator
However, the complaint explains that Milwaukee investigators quickly realized Morales Reyes does not read, write or fluently speak English.
—
Meredith Kile, People.com, 4 June 2025
Eliott Simpson, senior aviation accident investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, said the plane departed from Teterboro, New Jersey, at about 11:15 p.m. on May 21 and flew to Wichita, Kansas.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 24 May 2025
However, investigators are still working to determine what sparked the violence.
—Charlotte Observer, 24 May 2025
On Wednesday, an investigator spied a suspicious drone over the detention center shortly before 3 a.m. and tracked it to a landing spot on top of an SUV parked just down the road.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for investigator
Meredith Kile, People.com, 4 June 2025
Eliott Simpson, senior aviation accident investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, said the plane departed from Teterboro, New Jersey, at about 11:15 p.m. on May 21 and flew to Wichita, Kansas.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 24 May 2025
However, investigators are still working to determine what sparked the violence.
—Charlotte Observer, 24 May 2025
On Wednesday, an investigator spied a suspicious drone over the detention center shortly before 3 a.m. and tracked it to a landing spot on top of an SUV parked just down the road.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for investigator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for investigator
detective
Noun
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Last week, prosecutors called their final witness, the Chicago police detective who was the lead investigator in the case.—
Madeline Buckley,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2025
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While genre fiction steadily advances onto bestseller lists, realism soldiers on, amid cyborgs and dragons and boozy detectives.—
Hamilton Cain,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Investigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/investigator. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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