Synonyms for sleuth
- noun
- verb
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Detective — A detective
detective, gumshoe, investigator, private eye, dick, private investigator
Other
Verb
Definitions
- n. 1
A detective.
- n. 2
Slowness; laziness, sloth.
- v. 1
To act as a detective; to try to discover who committed a crime, or, more generally, to solve a mystery.
Related words
- Word family
- sleuthwork
- Phrases
- sleuth dog
Example sentences
- detective The detective took down his testimony on the spot.
- investigator Dan is a highly trained professional investigator.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| sleuth | rising | |
| detective | rising | |
| investigator | steady | |
| gumshoe | rising | |
| slothfulness | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- spy1
- 4 letters
- dick1, stag1
- 5 letters
- solve1, snoop1, sloth1
- 6 letters
- shadow2
- 7 letters
- inertia3, gumshoe2
- 8 letters
- laziness3, lethargy3, idleness3
- 9 letters
- detective3
- 12 letters
- investigator5, slothfulness
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (shadow2 = 2 syllables).