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Definitions

detective

[dih-tek-tiv] / dɪˈtɛk tɪv /
NOUN
investigator of crime
Synonyms
STRONGEST
agent informer police officer private eye private investigator prosecutor reporter sleuth spy
STRONG
analyst bloodhound bull constable cop dick eavesdropper eye fed fink flatfoot gumshoe nark peeper roper scout sergeant shadow shamus shoofly snoop tail
WEAK
P.I. Sherlock Holmes bird dog plainclothes officer slewfoot

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Tony, we found her,” he said the detective replied.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

A veteran homicide detective named Jim Ford tried to retrace Cynthia’s last steps.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

Jones was on duty that weekend, and Strickland assured Boyd that the detective was a “good old boy.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

The entertainment was provided by comedian Bob Hope and actor, Telly Savalas, best known for playing the lollipop-loving, TV detective, Kojak.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Louis Lépine and Alphonse Bertillon had missed the lesson of the very first detective story: In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Purloined Letter,” the suspect hides a scandalous letter in plain sight.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day