as in investigator
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the code used by the serial killer in his letters to the police was actually cracked by an amateur detective
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detective
Leslie Nielsen, whose legendary turn as bumbling L.A. detective Frank Drebin still has fans merrily reciting his most famous lines, passed away in 2010.
—
Alex Ritman, Variety, 1 Aug. 2025
When West Haven detectives received the forensic results, a warrant was completed and signed, police said.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 31 July 2025
Metro Nashville Police Department homicide detectives are investigating after a woman's body, covered by a garbage bag, was discovered off the side of the road in South Nashville on July 19.
—Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 20 July 2025
Homicide detectives are investigating after a man was violently sucked into an MRI machine by a metal chain around his neck, police in New York said.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for detective
Alex Ritman, Variety, 1 Aug. 2025
When West Haven detectives received the forensic results, a warrant was completed and signed, police said.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 31 July 2025
Metro Nashville Police Department homicide detectives are investigating after a woman's body, covered by a garbage bag, was discovered off the side of the road in South Nashville on July 19.
—Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 20 July 2025
Homicide detectives are investigating after a man was violently sucked into an MRI machine by a metal chain around his neck, police in New York said.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for detective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detective
Noun
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The suspect fled on foot and dropped the gun, according to investigators.—
Quinlan Bentley,
The Enquirer,
23 July 2025
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According to investigators, Melina and her father crossed into the U.S. from Canada on July 11 for what was supposed to be a vacation.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
23 July 2025
Noun
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The annex said Russian intelligence operatives had reportedly hacked and gained access to the emails of numerous U.S. nonprofit organizations, including Open Society Foundations, the main grantmaking outpost of the Soros nexus, funded primarily by the billionaire financier.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Aug. 2025
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The city made national news in the fall of 2023 after surveillance footage emerged showing numerous political operatives allegedly stuffing ballots into four different drop boxes located throughout the city.—
Andrew Brown,
Hartford Courant,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detective. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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