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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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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The man was taken in for questioning as Calumet Area detectives investigated.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Mar. 2026
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Investigators learned on Tuesday that Lickhart had died from her injuries, and homicide detectives took over the case, DiMartino said.—
Nathan Pilling
March 17,
Kansas City Star,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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An attack on a Michigan synagogue and a deadly shooting at a Virginia university, with investigators looking at the war in Iran as possible motivation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
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One of those interviews would lead a team of cybersecurity investigators to the inner workings of a vast North Korean employment scheme with national security implications.—
Lisa Cavazuti,
NBC news,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gumshoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gumshoes. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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