as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
when the police insisted that it was an accident and not murder, she hired a private detective
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of private detective
In the second movie in Ethan Coen and his wife Tricia Cooke’s lesbian B-movie trilogy (the first was the fizzy Drive Away Dolls), Margaret Qualley plays Honey, a stylish private detective trying to solve a case that involves a cult.
—
James Grebey, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
Farrell stars as private detective John Sugar in Sugar, who is investigating the disappearance of Olivia Siegel — the granddaughter of wealthy Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell).
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
But after her best friend’s death, getting dumped, and her father’s fall from grace as the local sheriff, Veronica is a high school outsider by day and a private detective by night.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Following her performances as southern womanizer Jamie in Drive-Away Dolls and fearless private detective Honey O’Donahue in Honey Don’t!
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private detective
James Grebey, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
Farrell stars as private detective John Sugar in Sugar, who is investigating the disappearance of Olivia Siegel — the granddaughter of wealthy Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell).
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
But after her best friend’s death, getting dumped, and her father’s fall from grace as the local sheriff, Veronica is a high school outsider by day and a private detective by night.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Following her performances as southern womanizer Jamie in Drive-Away Dolls and fearless private detective Honey O’Donahue in Honey Don’t!
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private detective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private detective
Noun
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Wilson County Sheriff’s Office detectives also found seven shell casings.—
Andy Humbles,
Nashville Tennessean,
14 Oct. 2025
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And while the chemistry in the show — which followed a former model (Shepherd) and a detective (Bruce) who manage a private detective agency — was undeniable, a feud was seemingly brewing behind the scenes.—
Abby Stern,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Anyone with information about the crash who has not yet spoken to investigators is asked to contact the Colorado State Patrol dispatch at 970-249-4392 and reference case VC250372.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
13 Oct. 2025
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Monday’s sentencing marks the end of a years-long legal battle between Laffitte and his victims, after Laffitte was reportedly the first to face federal charges as investigators looked to take down the Murdaugh empire.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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One Battle, like his other recent movies, is based on a book by Thomas Pynchon, the James Joyce of private eye novelists.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
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Hicks McTaggart, a reluctant private eye riding the industry’s transition from strikebreaking (labor suppression was once a major part of the private-detective business) to investigating cheating spouses, gets swept up in a case concerning the bombing of a bootlegger’s hooch wagon.—
Jack Denton,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Ryan Couch, a former volunteer private investigator who had been working with the Engelbert family on the missing persons case, told Cowboy State Daily that the remains were located three to five miles from where Engelbert was last seen walking alone, as captured in the surveillance footage.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 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 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Private detective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20detective. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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