1
as in policeman
a member of a force charged with law enforcement at the local level
a hard-bitten L.A. shamus who, when he's not battling crooks, is locking horns with his superiors
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
he's a shamus who mostly finds evidence to use in divorce cases
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shamus
When the franchise was rejuvenated in 2000 with Samuel L. Jackson starring as the nephew of the famed shamus, Roundtree appeared as his uncle.
—
Chris Koseluk, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Harrison Ford’s Rick Deckard was one in a long line of LA shamuses tripped up by wealth and beauty, from Marlowe and Gittes to Rawlins and Bosch.
—Wired, 1 Nov. 2019
With Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright back at the creative helm (and The Hollywood Reporter columnist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the writing staff), the season picks up with Veronica (Bell) still working as a shamus in her SoCal hometown of Neptune.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 July 2019
Chris Koseluk, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Harrison Ford’s Rick Deckard was one in a long line of LA shamuses tripped up by wealth and beauty, from Marlowe and Gittes to Rawlins and Bosch.
—Wired, 1 Nov. 2019
With Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright back at the creative helm (and The Hollywood Reporter columnist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the writing staff), the season picks up with Veronica (Bell) still working as a shamus in her SoCal hometown of Neptune.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shamus
Noun
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The killers included white policemen, sheriffs, businessmen, even a legislator—all part of the Jim Crow system aimed at disenfranchising Black voters.—
Essence,
Essence,
10 Mar. 2025
-
Johnson further sent a thousand military policemen and two thousand Army troops to escort the march.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Brett Payne, the lead detective in the case, said at the same hearing.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN,
10 Mar. 2025
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Drain, the detective who worked on missing-person cases in Seattle, became a strong advocate for NamUs.—
Nick McMillan,
NPR,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Billed as a mafia thriller and family tragedy, the six-part series turns on Anto, a Parisian cop of Corsican origin, who returns to his homeland with wife Vanina, to take over the family vineyard.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2025
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Things escalate quickly, and the cops and criminals engage in a shootout.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
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New evidence was gathered in November 2023, and both were arrested March 4, investigators said.—
Kate Linderman,
Kansas City Star,
12 Mar. 2025
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Spiro said the investigators who approached Jane Doe did not coerce or threaten her.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Logansport Police officer Cody Scott and his wife, Kylie Scott, were both charged with two counts of felony child neglect.—
Landon Mion,
Fox News,
16 Mar. 2025
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According to a news release, the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit was notified Thursday after correctional officers discovered 21-year-old Lawrence Antonio Borom lying on the floor with apparent head injuries.—
Matt Hubbard,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
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On Friday, as residents gathered at the Bilal mosque for afternoon prayers, several constables, sheriff’s deputies and private security guards stood watch.—
Edgar Sandoval,
New York Times,
4 Jan. 2025
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The budget also covers the Health Department, sheriff's office, circuit court divisions, prosecuting attorney, coroner, constables, Office of Emergency Management, museum, Veterans Services and Cooperative Extension.—
Eplunus Colvin,
arkansasonline.com,
3 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shamus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamus. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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