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person of interest
noun phrase
: a person who is believed to be possibly involved in a crime but has not been charged or arrested
Examples of person of interest in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The body of a missing U.S. Army sergeant was found in a dumpster this week on a Missouri military base and a person of interest has been arrested in connection to her killing, officials said.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada was expelling the Indian high commissioner and the others – all persons of interest, as Canada’s foreign minister said police had uncovered evidence of a worsening campaign against Canadian citizens by agents of the Indian government.
—Rob Gillies, Aijaz Hussain, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2024
Halstenberg became a person of interest for arson investigators who were looking into the origins of the fire with the help of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and San Bernardino County sheriff detectives.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2024
The Laurel County Sheriff's Office identified Joseph A. Couch, a 32-year-old white male who is approximately 5-foot-10 and weighs approximately 154 pounds, as a person of interest in the shooting.
—Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 8 Sep. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1937, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of person of interest was
in 1937
Dictionary Entries Near person of interest
Cite this Entry
“Person of interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/person%20of%20interest. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Legal Definition
person of interest
: a person who is believed to be possibly involved in a crime but has not been charged or arrested
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