as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the couple paid a gumshoe to look for their missing son
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gumshoe
Alex is, at once, a proactive gumshoe and a reactive Mia-Farrow-in-Rosemary’s-Baby-type figure.
—
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2025
Alas, by then the cheese heiress has skipped the country, and one Mickey Finn later our gumshoe comes to consciousness aboard an eastbound ship on the Atlantic.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Chris Columbus, director of Home Alone and the first two Harry Potter films, helms the comedic caper, which follows an amiable gang of gumshoes who spend their golden years investigating cold cases.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
But like John Sugar, this humble TV gumshoe ain’t going anywhere.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 26 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gumshoe
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2025
Alas, by then the cheese heiress has skipped the country, and one Mickey Finn later our gumshoe comes to consciousness aboard an eastbound ship on the Atlantic.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Chris Columbus, director of Home Alone and the first two Harry Potter films, helms the comedic caper, which follows an amiable gang of gumshoes who spend their golden years investigating cold cases.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
But like John Sugar, this humble TV gumshoe ain’t going anywhere.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 26 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gumshoe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gumshoe
Noun
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Court records show Dial sued a former Parker Police Department detective over his 2022 arrest for tampering with evidence and being an accessory to murder.—
Brian Maass,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
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The lawsuit claims that Santana was the lead detective assigned to the case, while Smith was the sergeant who supervised the investigative team.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Upper Darby Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt told 6 ABC that investigators believe a group of friends, who included two boys and two girls, were hanging out at the home when the fatal shooting occurred.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
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State police later spoke to Vargas’ mother who said their lawyer had advised them not to talk to investigators and would contact police on their behalf, according to the warrant affidavit.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gumshoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gumshoe. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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