Thesaurus results for SLEUTH

sleuth

noun

ˈslüth

Definition of sleuth

as in detective

a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons the popular TV sleuth lives a much more action-packed life than do his real-world counterparts

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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 sleuth Even if Rodri's cleats added an extra inch or two, online sleuths point to other comparisons, including with Prince William who met with the president in 2024. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 21 July 2026 So when things go badly inside the opaque world of many private schools, it can be left to parents, police, journalists and amateur sleuths to find and expose wrongdoing. — Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 16 July 2026 Their searching leads them to countless people, from journalists to police officials to a growing team of internet sleuths, who are compassionate and generous with their time. — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 And starring Barbie Ferreira as a vigilante web sleuth, their latest project successfully tapped into an earlier strain of viral folklore that resonated strongly with IndieWire’s chief film critic David Ehrlich. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sleuth

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleuth

Noun

Detectives spoke with another psychic who first reached out to Sophie’s family before detectives followed up with them, police said, adding the psychic had offered services for free.

— Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
The watchdog also criticized internal affairs investigators’ reliance on deputies’ logs and detectives’ case files, which were oriented at establishing criminal liability, not examining institutional flaws.

— Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of detective

Noun

Among them is Benjamin Radford, a research fellow and investigator with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, a nonprofit organization that evaluates paranormal and fringe-science claims from a scientific viewpoint.

— Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Campus and county police, joined by federal agents and sheriff’s deputies from neighboring counties, maintained a heavy presence as investigators searched for suspects and urged residents to avoid the area.

— Patrick Whittle, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of investigator

Browse Nearby Words

slept out

sleuth

sleuthhound

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“Sleuth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleuth. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of sleuth

noun

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