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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 University of Pennsylvania graduate was taken into custody as a person of interest at a McDonald’s roughly two hours outside of Pittsburgh after an employee tipped off law enforcement.
—Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 11 Dec. 2024
An image released by the New York Police Department shows a person of interest sought for questioning in connection with the shooting.
—Tom Winter, NBC News, 10 Dec. 2024
In Maryland, several Gilman graduates were stunned that a former valedictorian at the prestigious private school was now considered a person of interest in a homicide of international intrigue.
—Jean Marbella, Baltimore Sun, 10 Dec. 2024
Mangione — law enforcement’s person of interest captured in Pennsylvania — has an impressive resume and Ivy League education, with the kind of affluent and influential family ties that can often pave a path to a successful future.
—Michael Loria, The Courier-Journal, 10 Dec. 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 26 Dec. 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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