gumshoe

1 of 2

noun

gum·​shoe ˈgəm-ˌshü How to pronounce gumshoe (audio)

gumshoe

2 of 2

verb

gumshoed; gumshoeing

intransitive verb

: to engage in detective work

Examples of gumshoe in a Sentence

Noun the couple paid a gumshoe to look for their missing son
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Welcome back, Charlie Cale. Natasha Lyonne is back as TV’s favorite gumshoe detective in the first teaser for Poker Face season two, and the footage teases the roster of high-wattage guest stars who have been brought in to play in Charlie’s murder mystery sandbox when the series returns. Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 Another Simple Favor, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime, promises another fashionable ride with Stephanie the gumshoe and Emily the seductive femme fatale. Sezin Devi Koehler, EW.com, 1 May 2025 Natasha Lyonne is back as TV’s favorite gumshoe detective with Poker Face season two, and the official trailer teases the adventures she’s poised to head on when the 12-episode season launches May 8 on Peacock (followed by a weekly release). Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2025 The platform that made a gumshoe as flimsy as Benoit Blanc the center of his own franchise owes her all that and more. Judy Berman, TIME, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gumshoe

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1913, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gumshoe was in 1897

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Cite this Entry

“Gumshoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gumshoe. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

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