as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
unable to get the interest of the police, they hired a private eye to find their missing daughter
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of private eye
Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) A box-office disappointment, this adaptation of the Walter Mosley novel actually got more attention for then-newcomer Don Cheadle’s scene-stealing turn as a lunatic associate of Washington’s main character, the cool, calculating private eye Easy Rawlins.
—
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2024
Once there, he gets wrapped up in a mystery, befriends a private eye named Perry (Val Kilmer), and reconnects with Harmony (Michelle Monaghan), a childhood crush.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024
The indie is set in a near future society ruled by sentient artificial intelligence and has a private eye investigate a murder case only to discover a rebel group capable of undermining the digital overlord.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The series mixes the everyday with the inexplicable beautifully, with a standout performance by Cynthia Erivo as an eccentric private eye.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for private eye 
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2024
Once there, he gets wrapped up in a mystery, befriends a private eye named Perry (Val Kilmer), and reconnects with Harmony (Michelle Monaghan), a childhood crush.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024
The indie is set in a near future society ruled by sentient artificial intelligence and has a private eye investigate a murder case only to discover a rebel group capable of undermining the digital overlord.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The series mixes the everyday with the inexplicable beautifully, with a standout performance by Cynthia Erivo as an eccentric private eye.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for private eye
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private eye
Noun
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After requesting discovery — or the case’s evidence — since August, she’s only gotten a handful of videos, and some other documents, including a two-page detective summary.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2025
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Season 1’s first ep was watched by 6.7M viewers and delivered the best launch amongst 25-49 year olds since hit detective series HIP, according to the French major.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The National Transportation Safety Board said a team of U.S. investigators will participate in the probe.—
Laya Neelakandan,Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
17 Feb. 2025
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The man, who investigators believe was White and around 35 years old, offered Ronnie and his wife a short-term job at a logging camp that would also purportedly provide daycare for their children.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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In addition to hacking phones, the tabloids hired private detectives and encouraged journalists to lie and misrepresent themselves to gain access to highly personal data.—
Mark Landler,
New York Times,
18 Jan. 2025
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Jacobson played the scheming private detective Erin Jones in 22 episodes of Falcon Crest from 1985-87, the CBS primetime soap about a wealthy California wine family.—
Zoe G. Phillips,
The Hollywood Reporter,
15 Dec. 2024
Noun
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That meeting alone is enough for a federal corruption probe, according to Tom Brennan, the family's private investigator for nearly a decade and a former Pennsylvania state trooper.—
Michael Ruiz,
Fox News,
16 Feb. 2025
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According to court records, Recio agreed to bribe Costanzo, who was the DEA supervisor in Miami, in exchange for his providing the private investigator with confidential information about narcotics investigations.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near private eye
Cite this Entry
“Private eye.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20eye. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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