sleuths

noun

plural of sleuth
as in detectives
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 sleuths Although there are some online social media photos that show no visible price tag next to Molly, internet sleuths were able to locate other images with a visible sticker price to the side. — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Now that sleuths have deduced exactly where, the city is marking the spot. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 The former students, members of the Chi Phi fraternity who graduated in 2022 and 2023, say online sleuths have wrongly pegged them for harassment, leading to negative personal and professional consequences. — Graham Kates, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 Online sleuths and true-crime commentators following the broadcast trial had peddled conspiracy theories that Patrick Clancy actually killed the children and framed his wife. — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 18 Sep. 2026 As public support for Clancy grew by the day, online sleuths went to work challenging the prosecution’s narrative, closely scrutinizing witnesses and criticizing authorities for not investigating certain details more aggressively. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2026 Just days later, Kelce was photographed traveling with the same dog, and online sleuths quickly connected the pup to an April 2026 video clip of a similar dog jumping into one of Swift’s cars. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 1 Sep. 2026 Amateur sleuths, armchair lawyers and influencers have turned the soon-to-conclude trial into snackable, whodunit content, dissecting every detail and advancing their own theories across TikTok and other social platforms. — Addie Morfoot, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026 Internet sleuths accused him of trying to improve his lie in the rough, similar to allegations against Bryson DeChambeau at the British Open last month. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleuths
  1. detectives
  2. investigators
Noun
  • From the classic ‘Whodunit’ style to thrilling neonoirs, mystery novels have compelled readers to solve cases alongside detectives like Hercule Poirot.
    — Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The driver fled in an unknown direction, but detectives identified the vehicle by parts that were left on the road after the crash.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of detectives
Noun
  • In a statement posted to Facebook, the Wichita Police Department asked anyone with video of the incident to upload it so investigators could take a look.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026
  • In coordination with agents from the state Department of Labor’s Wage & Workplace Standards Division, investigators determined that the business was operating without a workers’ compensation insurance policy on two separate occasions.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of investigators

Browse Nearby Words

sleuthhounds
sleuths
slew
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sleuths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleuths. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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