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 BBC can confirm German detectives are now including the incident in their investigation into the detained Russian and his associates.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Cobb County Police Department detectives and the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner’s office, which oversees amusement parks in the state, are investigating.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

He announced other measures including the appointment of a dedicated staff member to support individuals reporting sexual misconduct, and inviting specialized New York State Police detectives to probe future sexual assault allegations.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

There also were patrols, detectives and special investigators.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

Despite all this, the private detectives somehow failed to secure enough evidence to prosecute any of the suspects, or perhaps the private eyes were bought off.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

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