as in detectives
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 gumshoes
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
Randall Colburn, EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gumshoes
Noun
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In 2017, detectives used DNA samples preserved from Walls' body and the area in which she was found to create an image of a person of interest, according to The Virginian-Pilot.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
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The homicide detectives took over the shooting investigation and later obtained an arrest warrant for the security guard on the voluntary manslaughter charge.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
20 May 2026
Noun
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The investigators began by interviewing the neighbors.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Police later said investigators connected the incidents as additional shootings were reported throughout the city.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gumshoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gumshoes. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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