private investigator

noun

: a person not a member of a police force who is licensed to do detective work (such as investigation of suspected wrongdoing or searching for missing persons)

Synonyms

• detective
• dick
• gumshoe
• hawkshaw
• investigator
• operative
• private detective
• private eye
• shamus [slang]
• sherlock
• sleuth
• sleuthhound

Examples of private investigator in a Sentence

She hired a private investigator to follow her husband.

the retired policeman decided to become a private investigator

Recent Examples on the Web

Working with a private investigator can help with that. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2025

Despite enlisting the help of her private investigator best friend, Stacey (Jessica Plummer), Kat can’t seem to track down Josh. —Yasmin Garaad, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025

Years later, a private investigator working for Palacios’ defense team would make a critical discovery: other suspects overlooked by police. —Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2024

Trump allowed weeks to go by before signing the agreement, amid reports that his team was considering avoiding the FBI's involvement and outsourcing the vetting to private investigators. —Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

private investigator

noun

: a person who does detective work and is not a member of a police force

Legal Definition

private investigator

noun

: a person not a member of a police force who is licensed to do detective work (as investigation of suspected wrongdoing or searching for missing persons)