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person of interest
noun phrase
: a person who is believed to be possibly involved in a crime but has not been charged or arrested
Examples of person of interest in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Detectives are working to identify a person of interest in the case, Gonzalez said.
—Andrea Klick, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2024
Detectives had identified the 30-year-old man as a person of interest in the homicide investigation and found him Thursday, the Sacramento Police Department announced Monday in an update to the case.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 13 May 2024
While there are numerous theories about what could have happened to her, German authorities believe a prisoner in the country could be a person of interest.
—Alex Gurley, Peoplemag, 11 May 2024
Related Articles Two women found shot to death at San Lorenzo home; person of interest in custody
San Jose man pleads no contest to killing two women in Thanksgiving 2021 crash.
—Caelyn Pender, The Mercury News, 10 May 2024
But during Thursday's press conference, the sheriff said there are persons of interest being investigated in connection to the case.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 10 May 2024
During the investigation, detectives identified Bays, Frye’s ex-boyfriend, as a person of interest due to their relationship, the release says.
—Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 May 2024
Police have three persons of interest in custody and retrieved two guns.
—David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 6 May 2024
Two people inside, one of them 17 years old, were detained as persons of interest.
—Ken Dilanian, NBC News, 30 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'person of interest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1937, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of person of interest was
in 1937
Dictionary Entries Near person of interest
Cite this Entry
“Person of interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/person%20of%20interest. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Legal Definition
person of interest
: a person who is believed to be possibly involved in a crime but has not been charged or arrested
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