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)

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
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.
According to Tuesday's court filing, private investigators later identified the buyers as Robert Yildirim and Ali Riza Yildirim of the Yildirim Group, a Turkish construction and shipping conglomerate. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025 In an affidavit filed on Wednesday (Mar. 5), a private investigator named Charlotte Henderson claims to have met with the accuser in late February in Alabama, per TMZ. Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 6 Mar. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for private investigator

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of private investigator was in 1940

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Private investigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/private%20investigator. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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