as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the popular TV sleuth lives a much more action-packed life than do his real-world counterparts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sleuth
The place where author Naomi Hirahara grew up on McNally Avenue, where her amateur sleuth Mas Arai also lived, is gone.
—
Erica Zora Wrightson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Ella Maisy Purvis is fantastic as the sleuth.
—Rich Heldenfels, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
Deadline broke the news in November that Peacock had decided not to renew the crime series for a third season, but that the Knives Out filmmaker was planning to reset the series with Dinklage taking over the role of crime-solving sleuth from Natasha Lynonne and setting it up at a new home.
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
But in making certain allegations about his mother’s behavior before and during the wedding, held at the Peltz family’s Palm Beach estate, Brooklyn Beckham also has opened himself to serious fact-checking by online sleuths, according to the BBC.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleuth
Erica Zora Wrightson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Ella Maisy Purvis is fantastic as the sleuth.
—Rich Heldenfels, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
Deadline broke the news in November that Peacock had decided not to renew the crime series for a third season, but that the Knives Out filmmaker was planning to reset the series with Dinklage taking over the role of crime-solving sleuth from Natasha Lynonne and setting it up at a new home.
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
But in making certain allegations about his mother’s behavior before and during the wedding, held at the Peltz family’s Palm Beach estate, Brooklyn Beckham also has opened himself to serious fact-checking by online sleuths, according to the BBC.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleuth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleuth
Noun
-
Wright, who formerly worked as a detective, said the video contains apparent facial features such as a mustache and that investigators should be able to calculate height, shoe size and brands of clothing.—
Ramon Padilla,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
-
DeOrzio turned himself in to county detectives Tuesday morning and is awaiting an arraignment and preliminary hearing.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Game and Fish investigators requested camera video from homeowners in the areas where poaching activity was known to have occurred.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
-
According to the subsequent findings of state investigators, Cooke took the child to the basement of her home and placed her in a Pack ‘n Play portable crib for a nap.—
Clark Kauffman,
Iowa Capital Dispatch,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sleuth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleuth. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
