investigators
investigators — noun
- investigatorssingular
- investigatorsesplural
1. someone whose job involves gathering facts and evidence about a crime, a problem
someone whose job involves gathering facts and evidence about a crime, a problem, or a claim to find out what really happened.
Police investigators found the stolen car hidden in a warehouse near the river.
common collocation: police investigators
The insurance company sent its own investigators to check the damage from the storm.
Samir worked as an investigator for the government, looking into reports of cheating on contracts.
Two investigators spent the whole morning questioning neighbours about the break-in.
After weeks of work, the investigators finally found proof of fraud in the company records.
- detective
more specific; usually refers to a police officer who investigates crimes, not broader problems or claims
- inspector
often used in official titles (e.g. health inspector, building inspector); focuses on checking rules rather than solving mysteries
- examiner
focuses on careful inspection of documents or evidence rather than active fact-gathering
用法筆記
Frequently used with a preceding noun that specifies the field: police investigators, private investigators, insurance investigators, government investigators.
常見錯誤
2. a person who carries out scientific research or runs experiments in order to dis
a person who carries out scientific research or runs experiments in order to discover new knowledge or test a theory.
Medical investigators are testing a new drug that could help children with severe allergies.
medical investigators — scientific domain collocation
Astrid is one of the lead investigators on the climate research team at the university.
Several government agencies are funding investigators to study the effects of air pollution on local towns.
The team of investigators ran tests to see whether the new treatment was safe for patients.
Adina worked as a research investigator at a biology lab studying ocean pollution.
- researcher
slightly broader; a researcher can work in any field including social sciences and humanities, not only the hard sciences
- scientist
broader still; a scientist may or may not be actively investigating a specific question at a given time
- experimenter
emphasises the hands-on running of tests rather than the overall research project
用法筆記
Often appears in the plural form to refer to a whole research group. Subject is typically a university, a research institute, or a government funding body.