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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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For a while, Mike Sherrill called detectives daily asking for an update.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
5 Feb. 2026
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Jason Palant said in an email Wednesday that detectives found files on Jhaveri’s cellphone during their initial investigation that met the criteria for child pornography, but Palant did not provide further details.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The sheriff said investigators are not ruling out foul play and noted that the circumstances were serious enough to involve the department’s criminal investigation unit.—
Bradford Betz , Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
2 Feb. 2026
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The Department of Justice also stopped investigating the agent, Jonathan Ross, and federal authorities blocked state investigators from participating in the probe.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
2 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gumshoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gumshoes. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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