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Synonyms
Examples of private detective in a Sentence
when the police insisted that it was an accident and not murder, she hired a private detective
Recent Examples on the Web
Cher was once tailed by private detectives hired by Sonny Bono.
—Marina Watts, People.com, 4 Dec. 2024
The premise is an 83-year-old widower answers an ad in the paper and becomes an undercover private detective.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 Nov. 2024
Also invading Maxine’s personal space is a seedy private detective (Kevin Bacon), who threatens to expose Maxine’s past as a murderer.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024
For several years now, Noland has scraped out a living as a private detective.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1861, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of private detective was
in 1861
Dictionary Entries Near private detective
Cite this Entry
“Private detective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/private%20detective. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
private detective
nounLegal Definition
private detective
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