investigator

noun

in·​ves·​ti·​ga·​tor in-ˈve-stə-ˌgā-tər How to pronounce investigator (audio)
plural investigators
Synonyms of investigatornext
: one who investigates something: such as
a
: detective
a private investigator
Debra Winger plays the investigator who becomes fixated on identifying a killer …Margaret Rauch
b
: a person who conducts experiments or is involved in scientific studies for research
the lead investigator in a clinical trial
For dialect recording, it is best for the investigator to take down as full and accurate notes as possible without slowing down the pace of the interview.Ravin I. McDavid, Jr.

Synonyms of investigator

Examples of investigator in a Sentence

investigators who discovered new evidence that the universe was much older than had been previously estimated the investigator in charge of the case was touted as an expert at tracing stolen art
Recent Examples on the Web
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Two years later, in 2023, the museum fired Higgs after investigators found that the pseudonymous eBay account via which a piece of Roman jewelry was posted was connected to a PayPal account that in turn linked to an X account bearing Higgs’s real name. News Desk, Artforum, 29 Apr. 2026 The girl, who is under age 15, was recovered Monday in Ocean Isle Beach, nearly three weeks after she was last seen in Middletown, Connecticut, investigators say. Mark Price april 29, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026 Police first located her father, who contacted her on Facebook so investigators could talk with her. Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026 The victim’s mother told investigators there was a history of domestic violence between Morgan and the victim. Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for investigator

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of investigator was in 1538

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Cite this Entry

“Investigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/investigator. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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