Detective
noun
A person, especially a police officer, whose job is to find information about crimes and discover who is responsible for them.
The detective is working on a murder case.
Often appears as...
- private detective
- homicide detective
adjective
Used or done in order to find something out or see where something is.
Detective work often involves a lot of research and observation.
Often appears as...
- detective novel
- detective series
noun
A person, especially a police officer, whose job is to find information about crimes and discover who is responsible for them.
The detective is working on a murder case.
Often appears as...
- private detective
- homicide detective
adjective
Used or done in order to find something out or see where something is.
Detective work often involves a lot of research and observation.
Often appears as...
- detective novel
- detective series
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Crime Solver
Detectives solve mysteries, often relating to criminal activities or secretive behavior.
The detective connected the clues to solve the theft.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Police
Detectives can be private individuals hired to investigate matters independently of law enforcement.
The family hired a private detective to find their missing heirloom.
Pro Tip 3/3Genre Specific
Detective is often used in the context of literature or movies that focus on crime-solving.
She loves reading detective novels with clever plot twists.
Pro Tip 1/3Crime Solver
Detectives solve mysteries, often relating to criminal activities or secretive behavior.
The detective connected the clues to solve the theft.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Police
Detectives can be private individuals hired to investigate matters independently of law enforcement.
The family hired a private detective to find their missing heirloom.
Pro Tip 3/3Genre Specific
Detective is often used in the context of literature or movies that focus on crime-solving.
She loves reading detective novels with clever plot twists.
Pro Tip 1/3Crime Solver
Detectives solve mysteries, often relating to criminal activities or secretive behavior.
The detective connected the clues to solve the theft.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Police
Detectives can be private individuals hired to investigate matters independently of law enforcement.
The family hired a private detective to find their missing heirloom.
Pro Tip 3/3Genre Specific
Detective is often used in the context of literature or movies that focus on crime-solving.
She loves reading detective novels with clever plot twists.
Compare with
agentenquirerinspectorinvestigatoroperativesleuthtracker
Never forget "Detective"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
Interrogation or Child...
you he's told him repeatedly he didn't do this they keep accusing him they've been in this room with him for many hours the detective tells crow he has a choice of two paths if he doesn't confess he'll be punished in an adult prison if he does confess he will get help this is a lie
Video examples
Who occupies US prisons?...
difficult it turns out that agencies like the Attorney General's Office and a lot of other government agencies don't actually track the things that matter one day I walked into a conference room there were dozens of detectives with huge stacks of files there were cases
Video examples
Spotting One of the...
the clouded leopard is one of the most elusive difficult animals in the whole world to film and this is conclusive evidence that there is one living not more than a couple of miles away from camp looking for tracks and signs is detective work it's almost like putting
Video examples
Can you solve the secret...
After months of detective work, you’ve narrowed your suspects to one of five the mayor, the tailor, the baker, the grocer, or the carpenter. You’ve invited them to dinner with a simple you’ll slip a square of a rare werewolf antidote into each of their dinners.
Video examples
How to write like the...
are traditional heroes. But their outsider status is exactly what helps them slip past security and make suspects let their guard down. As you might have guessed, Agatha won her sister’s bet. Her eccentric detectives, clever clues, and simplified suspects
Video examples
A lesson on looking PIPE...
and the occupant had drowned underneath. Now, instinctively, crime scene investigators look for what is apparent, but this detective did something different. He looked for what wasn't there, which is harder to do. And he raised the
Video examples
What's so sexy about...
Computing power helps, but it would be useless without the mathematical modeling to find the information hidden in the data. Let's work out a baby problem. Imagine that you're a detective working on a crime case,
Video examples
Killer Whale Ears PIPE Wild...
water cold stranded that's weird dangerous for the whale the baby is now aware that they need to be extra careful where they use sonar to protect nearby whales so this is a case of good detective work
Video examples
Bats by Night PIPE Wild...
one of the most diverse groups of mammals in the world it can be difficult for us detectives to investigate bats because they live in the dark and they move fast
Video examples
Narwhal Tooth PIPE Wild...
if not magic then what does it do it's been a mystery through the ages some detectives thought it was a weapon others thought it might help attract Timmy
Video examples
Interrogation or Child...
you he's told him repeatedly he didn't do this they keep accusing him they've been in this room with him for many hours the detective tells crow he has a choice of two paths if he doesn't confess he'll be punished in an adult prison if he does confess he will get help this is a lie
Video examples
Who occupies US prisons?...
difficult it turns out that agencies like the Attorney General's Office and a lot of other government agencies don't actually track the things that matter one day I walked into a conference room there were dozens of detectives with huge stacks of files there were cases
Video examples
Spotting One of the...
the clouded leopard is one of the most elusive difficult animals in the whole world to film and this is conclusive evidence that there is one living not more than a couple of miles away from camp looking for tracks and signs is detective work it's almost like putting
Video examples
Can you solve the secret...
After months of detective work, you’ve narrowed your suspects to one of five the mayor, the tailor, the baker, the grocer, or the carpenter. You’ve invited them to dinner with a simple you’ll slip a square of a rare werewolf antidote into each of their dinners.
Video examples
How to write like the...
are traditional heroes. But their outsider status is exactly what helps them slip past security and make suspects let their guard down. As you might have guessed, Agatha won her sister’s bet. Her eccentric detectives, clever clues, and simplified suspects
Video examples
A lesson on looking PIPE...
and the occupant had drowned underneath. Now, instinctively, crime scene investigators look for what is apparent, but this detective did something different. He looked for what wasn't there, which is harder to do. And he raised the
Video examples
What's so sexy about...
Computing power helps, but it would be useless without the mathematical modeling to find the information hidden in the data. Let's work out a baby problem. Imagine that you're a detective working on a crime case,
Video examples
Killer Whale Ears PIPE Wild...
water cold stranded that's weird dangerous for the whale the baby is now aware that they need to be extra careful where they use sonar to protect nearby whales so this is a case of good detective work
Video examples
Bats by Night PIPE Wild...
one of the most diverse groups of mammals in the world it can be difficult for us detectives to investigate bats because they live in the dark and they move fast
Video examples
Narwhal Tooth PIPE Wild...
if not magic then what does it do it's been a mystery through the ages some detectives thought it was a weapon others thought it might help attract Timmy
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Tom Reiss
American Author
The demons you have are what motivate you to make your art. This is what drives the detective, this is what drives the painter, this is what drives the writer: a conflicting urge to forget pain and at the same time remember it and fight for some kind of justice. I know these powerful things are inside of me and everyone in some way or another.
Quote examples
Patti Smith
American Musician
For everything bad, there's a million really exciting things, whether it's someone puts out a really great book, there's a new movie, there's a new detective, the sky is unbelievably golden, or you have the best cup of coffee you ever had in your life.
Quote examples
Phillipa Soo
American Actress
You get to crack the code of the play. You get to really pick at it and see, 'What is the story that we're telling?' 'What are the clues in the text that I can find that will help inform what story we're telling?' It's almost like a detective mystery.
Quote examples
Carl Hiaasen
American Writer
Sure, I'll have characters drop in and out of books but the main cast of characters always changes. Maybe I'm wrong but I think if had the same joe detective guy or gal, I wouldn't write them as well; I wouldn't do as good a job.
Quote examples
Thomas Gibson
American Actor
People are fascinated by the darker sides of human nature, and I think they're also interested in seeing the ability that a particular detective or group of detectives might have to solve the crime and put the world right again.
Quote examples
Chester Himes
American Writer
American violence is public life, it's a public way of life, it became a form, a detective story form. So I should think that any number of black writers should go into the detective story form.
Quote examples
David Lynch
American Director
You're right on the money with that. We're all like detectives in life. There's something at the end of the trail that we're all looking for.
Quote examples
Shane Black
American Actor
The great thing about detective stories, in particular, the case can always be interesting as well as the characters.
Quote examples
Ruth Rendell
British Writer
I don't feel that I wanted to spend my whole writing life - which is my life - writing detective stories.
Quote examples
Robert Carlyle
Scottish Director
I'd love to do a Columbo-type detective character in a series.
Quote examples
Tom Reiss
American Author
The demons you have are what motivate you to make your art. This is what drives the detective, this is what drives the painter, this is what drives the writer: a conflicting urge to forget pain and at the same time remember it and fight for some kind of justice. I know these powerful things are inside of me and everyone in some way or another.
Quote examples
Patti Smith
American Musician
For everything bad, there's a million really exciting things, whether it's someone puts out a really great book, there's a new movie, there's a new detective, the sky is unbelievably golden, or you have the best cup of coffee you ever had in your life.
Quote examples
Phillipa Soo
American Actress
You get to crack the code of the play. You get to really pick at it and see, 'What is the story that we're telling?' 'What are the clues in the text that I can find that will help inform what story we're telling?' It's almost like a detective mystery.
Quote examples
Carl Hiaasen
American Writer
Sure, I'll have characters drop in and out of books but the main cast of characters always changes. Maybe I'm wrong but I think if had the same joe detective guy or gal, I wouldn't write them as well; I wouldn't do as good a job.
Quote examples
Thomas Gibson
American Actor
People are fascinated by the darker sides of human nature, and I think they're also interested in seeing the ability that a particular detective or group of detectives might have to solve the crime and put the world right again.
Quote examples
Chester Himes
American Writer
American violence is public life, it's a public way of life, it became a form, a detective story form. So I should think that any number of black writers should go into the detective story form.
Quote examples
David Lynch
American Director
You're right on the money with that. We're all like detectives in life. There's something at the end of the trail that we're all looking for.
Quote examples
Shane Black
American Actor
The great thing about detective stories, in particular, the case can always be interesting as well as the characters.
Quote examples
Ruth Rendell
British Writer
I don't feel that I wanted to spend my whole writing life - which is my life - writing detective stories.
Quote examples
Robert Carlyle
Scottish Director
I'd love to do a Columbo-type detective character in a series.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension