investigator Hear it!

investigator Definition

in·ves·ti·ga·tor (in ves′tə gāt′ər)

noun

a person who gathers confidential information and conducts an investigation for an individual or company; private detective

investigator Synonyms

investigator

n.

inquirer, researcher, detective, tester, inspector, reviewer, analyst, auditor, reviewing board member, prosecutor; see also examiner. see also detective, policeman, spy.

Investigators include: sleuth, detective, spy, counterspy, plainclothesman, police inspector, district attorney, prosecuting attorney, government agent, Federal agent, fed*, census taker, insurance investigator, Treasury agent, T-man, FBI agent, CIA agent, Gestapo agent, double agent, narcotics agent, narc*, ombudsman, plain-clothes man, secret police, secret agent, informer, G-man*, snooper*, dick*, operative*, undercover man*, flatfoot*, private eye*, spotter*;

investigator Usage Examples

Preposition: of

phenomenon: He is known as an advocate of international peace and an investigator of psychical phenomena.

Converse of object

  • tell: The first sister told the investigator that on 28 October she arrived on duty at 3.00pm.
  • accredit: Accredited Fraud Investigators Scheme There is something not quite right about one who professes an expertise in fraud investigations.
  • hire: The owner of the house, a hot young lady, hires a private investigator to find the thief.
  • employ: Investigators employed by the company had found samples of its GM oilseed rape among Schmeiser's stock.
  • assist: CRAs are responsible for selecting investigators and may assist investigators to obtain approval from ethics committees.
  • determine: Investigators determined that all the affected motors were connected to the same standby motor control center which was equipped with new digital motor protectors.

Adjective modifier

  • principal: James Campbell is principal investigator for the vaccine trials at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
  • paranormal: Recently paranormal investigators have been able to obtain perhaps one of the most useful new tools to support their investigations.
  • undercover: At the end of the experiment the undercover investigator filmed an autopsy being performed on a monkey which was still alive.
  • Lead: This is undertaken by nine full time funded pre and post doctoral researchers, supported by consultant grade scientists and a Lead Investigator.
  • co-principal: I am also co-principal investigator on an ESRC-funded ethnographic study of evidence-based policy-making in international maternal health.
  • forensic: Arrangements may be made for a forensic investigator or a police officer to visit you.

Modifies a noun

site: There may be more than one principal investigator site in a program.

Noun used with modifier

  • principal: You would also be a key member of the team of Principal Investigators who lead the science across BAS.
  • fraud: For example, we must give information to authorized benefit fraud investigators where fraudulent benefit claims are suspected.
  • collision: The police input will involve a number of police motorcyclists and a collision investigator who is also a keen motorcyclist.
  • accident: The number of trained accident investigators should be increased.
  • crash: Crash investigators are trying to establish the cause of the accident.
  • crime: Crime scene investigators have left their marks all over the place.