How to Use private detective in a Sentence

private detective

noun
  • This changed with the arrival of the private detective in the ’40s.
    — George Wead, Slate Magazine, 1 Sep. 2017
  • The follow-up to the 2019 hit film will once again star Daniel Craig as private detective Benoit Blanc.
    — Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 24 Aug. 2022
  • White private detectives who came in and got close to the truth, also were murdered.
    — Janet B. Carson, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2023
  • Swalwell even hired a private detective to track down Brooks, with no luck.
    — Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 3 June 2021
  • Teri said the private detective asked both her and Joe to be hypnotized.
    — jsonline.com, 27 Sep. 2017
  • Enter Raymond Schindler, a private detective who, like the mob that rushed the station, wielded a rope of his own.
    — Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2021
  • Over lunch, private detective Jake Gittes asks wealthy villain Noah Cross about the purpose of the land baron’s vast fortune.
    — Robert Ross, Robb Report, 20 Apr. 2021
  • In 1850, Pinkerton started his own private detective agency—the first of its kind in the country.
    — Kellie B. Gormly, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Mar. 2022
  • When that business failed to take off, Patrick helped Casey launch a private detective agency.
    — Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 19 Nov. 2022
  • Hired to prove Angel’s guilt, Cristiano, a private detective, soon falls for her charms.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 14 Oct. 2021
  • The case was re-opened after Michelle’s mother hired a private detective a year later.
    — jsonline.com, 4 Oct. 2017
  • That version had Zendaya’s Rue grow up to be a private detective.
    — Zoe Guy, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025
  • That version had Zendaya’s Rue grow up to be a private detective.
    — Zoe Guy, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025
  • That version had Zendaya’s Rue grow up to be a private detective.
    — Zoe Guy, Vulture, 11 June 2024
  • Hiring private detectives to spy on labor unions was one of the classic dirty tricks of the period.
    — April White, Smithsonian, 22 Mar. 2018
  • Rong and the private detective met again, but the project in California fizzled out.
    — Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica, 23 July 2021
  • Cher was once tailed by private detectives hired by Sonny Bono.
    — Marina Watts, People.com, 4 Dec. 2024
  • Cher was once tailed by private detectives hired by Sonny Bono.
    — Marina Watts, People.com, 4 Dec. 2024
  • Lionel Essrog is a private detective who doesn’t let Tourette’s syndrome stand in the way of his job.
    — Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2021
  • Lionel Essrog is a private detective who doesn’t let Tourette’s syndrome stand in the way of his job.
    — Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2021
  • Lionel Essrog is a private detective who doesn’t let Tourette’s syndrome stand in the way of his job.
    — Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2021
  • Lionel Essrog is a private detective who doesn’t let Tourette’s syndrome stand in the way of his job.
    — Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2021
  • Lionel Essrog is a private detective who doesn’t let Tourette’s syndrome stand in the way of his job.
    — Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2021
  • Strike and private detective Robin Ellacott then try to solve the murder.
    — Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 31 Aug. 2022
  • Procopio said the search by the State Police was not prompted by the private detective’s findings.
    — John Hilliard, BostonGlobe.com, 13 July 2023
  • Pleguar does event-staffing and holds a private detective agency license.
    — Bruce Vielmetti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 24 May 2021
  • For several years now, Noland has scraped out a living as a private detective.
    — Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024
  • Veronica's father is a private detective who used to be the town's sheriff until a fall from grace.
    — Milan Polk, Men's Health, 29 Sep. 2022
  • As a new teaser trailer from Netflix reveals, the private detective is facing his most dangerous case yet.
    — Jack Smart, People.com, 1 June 2025
  • McKinnon will play Joe Dahl, a private detective investigating a decade-old murder.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 4 June 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'private detective.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: