gumshoe

1 of 2

noun

gum·​shoe ˈgəm-ˌshü 

: detective

gumshoe

2 of 2

verb

gumshoed; gumshoeing

intransitive verb

: to engage in detective work

Synonyms of gumshoe

Noun

• detective
• investigator

Examples of gumshoe in a Sentence

Noun

the couple paid a gumshoe to look for their missing son

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This detective-story setup feels something like an homage to Walter Mosley and his famous Black gumshoe, Easy Rawlins, a veteran of the missing-persons business in Los Angeles. — David Hajdu, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026

It’s been a decent summer so far for plucky British gumshoes. — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 30 June 2026

Featuring guest star Liza Minnelli as a film noir-style actress whose show is being plagued by a series of murders and Kermit as a Bogart-like ’40s gumshoe, this episode won a special Raven Award from The Mystery Writers of America. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 June 2026

In the series, Reilly, a down-on-his-luck private gumshoe in the 1930s, has no choice but to return to his superhero identity, The Spider, after suffering a deep personal loss. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1913, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1897, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gumshoe

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew