Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A federal law enforcement agency: The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigative agency of the United States Department of Justice. It is responsible for investigating a wide range of federal crimes, protecting the United States from terrorist threats, and providing intelligence and forensic services to other law enforcement agencies.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a statement regarding the cyberattack.
  • She has worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation for over twenty years.
  • The case was handed over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation due to its interstate nature.

Advanced Usage

• "FBI jurisdiction": The legal authority and geographic scope of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's investigative powers, typically covering federal crimes and threats to national security.

  • The kidnapping became an FBI jurisdiction case because the victim was taken across state lines.

• "FBI dossier": A comprehensive file or report compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on a specific person, group, or incident.

  • The committee reviewed the FBI dossier on the individual before the hearing.

Variants and Related Words

• FBI (abbreviation): The common initialism for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

  • The FBI is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

• Federal agent (noun): An officer or investigator working for a federal agency, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

  • Federal agents secured the perimeter of the building.

Synonyms

• Federal law enforcement agency: A government organization with authority to enforce federal laws.
• Investigative arm of the Department of Justice: The primary division of the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for conducting investigations.

Related Phrases

• "FBI investigation": An official inquiry or examination conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

  • An FBI investigation into the fraud was launched last month.

• "FBI director": The head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

  • The FBI director testified before Congress.

Related Idioms

• "To have the FBI on your tail": To be under intense investigation or scrutiny by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (Informal)
  • After the tip-off, he felt like he had the FBI on his tail.

Noun

1. a federal law enforcement agency that is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Justice