detectives

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.

See Examples For:

detectives

The next day, detectives went to the job of the man who reported the snake and spoke to him for several hours.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

No doubt the TikTok amateur detectives would’ve momentarily shifted from true crime to the Chaplin twins, trying their damnedest to debunk what only the sisters could truly understand.

From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026

For the detectives: There was a period of time when you could not escape “Baby Shark.”

From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026

A piece of twine wrapped around his neck raised suspicions for detectives, County Durham and Darlington Coroner Crispin Oliver heard.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Thomas Jones would eventually be questioned by Union detectives.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson