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
William Hopper’s Paul Drake assisted as Mason’s go-to private detective with a knack for finding the evidence Mason and his clients needed.
—
Victoria Edel, People.com, 18 May 2025
Both Lennox and Sarah Lind, as Alex’s wife, Sam, are serious and convincing, and the musician David Yow, as an oddball private detective following in Alex’s wake, gives the movie some idiosyncratic flair.
—Calum Marsh, New York Times, 1 May 2025
That’s after Emily went to jail at the end of A Simple Favor, and Stephanie, moonlighting as a private detective, helped put her there.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2025
Comedian and impressionist Jon Culshaw joins the company as King Julian’s private detective.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private detective
Victoria Edel, People.com, 18 May 2025
Both Lennox and Sarah Lind, as Alex’s wife, Sam, are serious and convincing, and the musician David Yow, as an oddball private detective following in Alex’s wake, gives the movie some idiosyncratic flair.
—Calum Marsh, New York Times, 1 May 2025
That’s after Emily went to jail at the end of A Simple Favor, and Stephanie, moonlighting as a private detective, helped put her there.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2025
Comedian and impressionist Jon Culshaw joins the company as King Julian’s private detective.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private detective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private detective
Noun
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And Natasha Lyonne, who plays amateur detective Charlie Cale, wears almost as many hats: actress, director, writer and producer.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
14 June 2025
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Jamie McBride is an LAPD detective with 35 years of experience on the force.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2025
Noun
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Though Watkins had first been ruled out as a suspect in the killing of 20-year-old Isaac Dawkins, who was shot in the head while driving on a highway in Rome in 2000, he was pursued by Floyd County police and investigators with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, according to his complaint.—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
5 June 2025
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Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office investigators are working to determine how the child ended up in the water, according to the statement.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 June 2025
Noun
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The idea of a lesbian private eye isn’t even that new either, since Jess Franco had two in a pair of his most enjoyable exploitation movies (Sadisterotika and Kiss Me, Monster, both 1969).—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
24 May 2025
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The track ended the contract after only a few months of effort by the private eyes.—
Katie Bo Lillis,
CNN Money,
2 May 2025
Noun
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The family continues to have a GoFundMe campaign active to cover funeral expenses and fuel their fight for justice with a private investigator.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
28 May 2025
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For three months, David worked with a private investigator and a former F.B.I. behavioral science expert to explore whether Ted could be the Unabomber.—
Serge F. Kovaleski,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Private detective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20detective. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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