noun
sleuth
slooth
noun
1
A detective, especially a skilled one who investigates crimes or mysteries.
"The amateur sleuth pieced together clues the police had missed."
verb
1
To investigate or try to solve a mystery.
"She spent the weekend sleuthing around the old house for clues about its history."
How to Use Sleuth
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA detective, or the act of investigating something like one.
When to use it
Slightly old-fashioned or playful compared to plain "detective" or "investigate."
Common pairings
amateur sleuth
sleuth out the truth
Word Forms
sleuthed past tense, sleuths plural, sleuths plural, sleuths singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “sleuth”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The amateur _____ pieced together clues the police had missed.
Etymology
A shortening of "sleuthhound," an old word for a bloodhound used to track people.