as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
when the police insisted that it was an accident and not murder, she hired a private detective
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of private detective
Bogart—best known as the swaggering nightclub owner from Casablanca and the scotch-slinging private detective from The Maltese Falcon—has been dead since the 1950s.
—
Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2024
Winbush plays a former FBI agent and old friend of Ted's who now works as a private detective, according to Variety.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025
In the stylish crime-drama Farrell plays John Sugar, a private detective who is hired to investigate the disappearance of a big-time Hollywood producer’s granddaughter while battling some personal demons of his own.
—Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 23 Dec. 2024
In addition to hacking phones, the tabloids hired private detectives and encouraged journalists to lie and misrepresent themselves to gain access to highly personal data.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private detective
Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2024
Winbush plays a former FBI agent and old friend of Ted's who now works as a private detective, according to Variety.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025
In the stylish crime-drama Farrell plays John Sugar, a private detective who is hired to investigate the disappearance of a big-time Hollywood producer’s granddaughter while battling some personal demons of his own.
—Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 23 Dec. 2024
In addition to hacking phones, the tabloids hired private detectives and encouraged journalists to lie and misrepresent themselves to gain access to highly personal data.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private detective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private detective
Noun
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Following the incident, Connecticut State Police Major Crime Squad detectives allegedly seized two firearms.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2025
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Brett Payne, the lead detective in the case, said at the same hearing.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
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According to authorities, investigators have not found any evidence indicating the victim was responsible for the ATV thefts.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
1 Mar. 2025
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Two people who had been shot were found dead inside a Thornton home on Wednesday that investigators believe was intentionally set on fire, police said.—
Katie Langford,
The Denver Post,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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These private eyes spy on children in order to determine who is or isn’t living within the district’s strict attendance boundaries.—
Tim Deroche,
Orange County Register,
28 Jan. 2025
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In that time, Will has started over as a private eye in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The lawyers said a private investigator identified witnesses who could testify that Davis was not at the scene of the shooting.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
18 Feb. 2025
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Playground Productions acquired the franchise rights in 2024, even hiring a private investigator to track down the rights.—
Jake Lang,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Private detective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20detective. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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