Federal Bureau of Investigation

British  

noun

1. See FBI

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Federal Bureau of Investigation Cultural  

1. An agency of the United States federal government, long headed by J. Edgar Hoover, which investigates violations of federal (rather than state or local) laws, including kidnaping, smuggling narcotics, and espionage.

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Established in 1908 under the Department of Justice, the FBI earned its reputation in the 1920s and 1930s by apprehending notorious bank robbers and gangsters.

Example Sentences

You can also file a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and White House played down the warning Thursday, saying it was based on unverified information.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

After a December 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino, Calif., the Federal Bureau of Investigation tried to compel Apple to build a universal back door into the iPhone.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

The Justice Department said it is reviewing whether it improperly withheld some Epstein files, including Federal Bureau of Investigation notes that detail unverified allegations made by a woman against President Trump.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

He realized that after so many years of hunches and suspicions, the time had come to bring in the experts, the spy hunters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau