as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the retired policeman decided to become a private investigator
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of private investigator
The real life drama stars David Tennant and Robert Carlyle playing respectively journalist Nick Davies and Met Police Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Cook investigating over 2002-12 News of the World phone hacking and the unsolved murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan.
—
John Hopewell, Variety, 25 Feb. 2025
Duplicity takes audiences on a suspenseful journey as Marley teams up with her boyfriend, Tony, a former cop turned private investigator, played by Tyler Lepley.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 19 Feb. 2025
The film follows a money collector (Lachman) for a private investigator hired to track down 10 million dollars stolen in a dodgy real estate deal, opening a complex can of worms.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2025
The Kesse family’s private investigator, Michael Torretta, maintains that a worker was involved.
—Alex Gurley, People.com, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private investigator
John Hopewell, Variety, 25 Feb. 2025
Duplicity takes audiences on a suspenseful journey as Marley teams up with her boyfriend, Tony, a former cop turned private investigator, played by Tyler Lepley.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 19 Feb. 2025
The film follows a money collector (Lachman) for a private investigator hired to track down 10 million dollars stolen in a dodgy real estate deal, opening a complex can of worms.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 18 Feb. 2025
The Kesse family’s private investigator, Michael Torretta, maintains that a worker was involved.
—Alex Gurley, People.com, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private investigator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private investigator
Noun
-
No one was in custody and detectives were investigating.—
Deanese Williams-Harris,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2025
-
One of the men involved in the shooting was also struck by gunfire and taken to a hospital, where he was interviewed by detectives.—
Julia Bonavita,
Fox News,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The government's own investigators have repeatedly found serious problems in immigration detention centers around the country.—
Lauren Villagran,
USA TODAY,
23 Mar. 2025
-
In a missing persons poster provided by the sheriff's office, investigators wrote that the family had rented a 2024 white BMW with California license plate number 9KHN768.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
At the time, McTiernan had hired Hollywood’s famous private detective Anthony Pellicano, to spy on Rollerball’s producer Charles Roven.—
Maelle Beauget-Uhl,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
-
Jones lacks the cloak-and-dagger aspect of his most successful forebear, Allan Pinkerton, whose namesake agency once commanded a force of private detectives larger than the U.S. Army.—
Jasper Craven,
Harper's Magazine,
23 July 2024
Noun
-
These private eyes spy on children in order to determine who is or isn’t living within the district’s strict attendance boundaries.—
Tim Deroche,
Orange County Register,
28 Jan. 2025
-
In that time, Will has started over as a private eye in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
7 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Private investigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20investigator. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share