investigator

noun

in·​ves·​ti·​ga·​tor in-ˈve-stə-ˌgā-tər 

plural investigators

: one who investigates something: such as

a

: detective

a private investigator

Debra Winger plays the investigator who becomes fixated on identifying a killer …

—Margaret Rauch

b

: a person who conducts experiments or is involved in scientific studies for research

the lead investigator in a clinical trial

For dialect recording, it is best for the investigator to take down as full and accurate notes as possible without slowing down the pace of the interview.

—Ravin I. McDavid, Jr.

Synonyms

• experimenter
• researcher

Examples of investigator in a Sentence

investigators who discovered new evidence that the universe was much older than had been previously estimated

the investigator in charge of the case was touted as an expert at tracing stolen art

Recent Examples on the Web

The IP address and phone number associated with the files belonged to Green, investigators said. —Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2025

She was not taken into custody, investigators said. —Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025

Asha vanished after leaving her home in the early morning hours of Feb. 14, 2000. Deputies and FBI and SBI agents conducted the search with help from Lincoln County sheriff’s investigators, Norman said, declining to release further details. —Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 4 Apr. 2025

The investigator observed Wright with a 16-year-old girl, according to federal officials. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing investigator

• co-investigator
• private investigator

Rhymes for investigator

• accelerator
• accumulator
• adjudicator
• administrator
• appropriator
• articulator
• attenuator
• bronchodilator
• collaborator
• communicator
• conciliator
• cooperator