private investigators

noun

plural of private investigator
as in detectives
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of private investigators The private investigators recovered one truck with help from the Mexican army. — Steve Fisher special Correspondent follow, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026 During the test, two private investigators were hired to conduct surveillance on Hogan. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026 In an interview with a neighbor, the private investigators learned that there was a cargo van outside the house at the time. — Jeremy Greenberg, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026 Priestley and Sampson are reprising their roles as private investigators Matt Shade and Angie Everett. — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026 The series sees Jason Priestley and Cindy Sampson reprise their roles as private investigators Matt Shade and Angie Everett. — Mya Copeland, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026 The Dink star’s new series costars Keith David, Langston Kerman, and Mary Shalaby in a comedy about private investigators working in Los Angeles. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Aug. 2026 Harry and the six other high-profile claimants failed to prove their allegations that the publisher unlawfully obtained private information through methods including private investigators, deception, phone hacking and corrupt payments. — Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026 Depending on the circumstances, this may include private investigators, attorneys, cybersecurity professionals, exchanges, regulators or law enforcement agencies. — Jon Stojan june 23, Miami Herald, 23 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private investigators
  1. detectives
  2. investigators
  3. private detectives
Noun
  • Tallahassee police detectives have reviewed digital evidence and canvassed the area, police said in a statement Sunday.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The older brother, Marques Smith, said in an interview with detectives that they were dropped off from work at 29th Street and Indiana Avenue minutes before police officers were seen in the area, according to court records.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of detectives
Noun
  • When investigators approached him in 2010 about the investigation into his father’s killing, Douglas Herlihy referred them to his attorney.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Over 70 women came forward to investigators, reporting harrowing accounts of the brothers’ attacks, prosecutors said in their sentencing memo.
    — Kara Scannell, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of investigators
Noun
  • Meanwhile, private detectives probed Hadley’s vulnerabilities as a witness.
    — Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
  • The trio took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles as part of a PaleyFest event commemorating five decades of Charlie's Angels, the groundbreaking ABC series that followed a group of female private detectives.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of private detectives

Browse Nearby Words

private investigator
private investigators
privately
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Private investigators.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20investigators. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All