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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
According to Greta Investigates: The Mysterious Disappearance of Jennifer Kesse, NASA was contacted to use their advanced technology to get a better look at the person of interest in the video.
—Alex Gurley, People.com, 23 Jan. 2025
Later authorities released a name and photo of a person of interest.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025
Photos released by cops show the person of interest wearing a black hoodie and gray sweatpants, with a gray backpack.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2025
Police identified the person of interest as 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger, an active-duty U.S. Army special operations soldier from Colorado Springs, Colorado.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 2 Jan. 2025
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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 27 Jan. 2025.
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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