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
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Recent Examples of private investigator
Among his proposals is to outsource FBI background checks for appointees to private investigators, a tactic that would enable him to hire people close to him even if there are security flags.
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Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 19 Nov. 2024
After the hearing, one of the Jane Does whom Masterson was convicted of raping said the same private investigator has reached out to people connected to her personal life.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 10 Dec. 2024
The GoFundMe will also help pay to hire a private investigator to look into the boy's death.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024
The family has hired their own private investigator to investigate the case.
—Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for private investigator 
Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 19 Nov. 2024
After the hearing, one of the Jane Does whom Masterson was convicted of raping said the same private investigator has reached out to people connected to her personal life.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 10 Dec. 2024
The GoFundMe will also help pay to hire a private investigator to look into the boy's death.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024
The family has hired their own private investigator to investigate the case.
—Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for private investigator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private investigator
Noun
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Questioning John is Lou Smit, a homicide detective then working for the Boulder D.A.'s office.Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2024
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David Hasselhoff and company tried to make this after-dark Baywatch spinoff work, but turning frequently shirtless lifeguard Mitch into a second-shift detective wasn’t a natural progression for the character.Sara Netzley, EW.com, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Brazilian authorities faced difficulties identifying victims due to a post-crash fire, with investigators from Brazil's Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center (CENIPA) citing weather conditions and pilot error as contributing factors.Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
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The recorded voice spoke in Spanish, but investigators translated it to English.KFOX Staff, Baltimore Sun, 25 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Colorado private detective Ollie Gray and his partner, John Sangustin, were hired by the Ramseys in 1999.Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2024
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Per the report, citing one of three sources familiar with the matter, U.S. authorities believe the DCI Group, a public affairs and lobbying company working for Exxon back in 2015, had compiled a list of targets and provided them to an Israeli private detective, who then outsourced the hacking.Thomas Brewster, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Noun
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When a judge tentatively allowed the music to bang on this fall, sonic private eyes and city officials patrolled the neighborhood with microphones and decibel meters, gathering ammunition for the battle.Katie Thornton, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024
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In Hot Spot, set in a near future society ruled by sentient A.I., a private eye investigates a murder case only to discover a rebel group capable of undermining the digital overlord.Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near private investigator
Cite this Entry
“Private investigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20investigator. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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