shamus

noun

ˈshä-məs How to pronounce shamus (audio)
Definition of shamusnext
slang
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shamus 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
  1. policeman
  2. detective
  3. cop
  4. investigator
  5. officer
  6. constable
Noun
  • In one video shared on social media, a teenager was shot in the face with a tear-gas grenade at almost point-blank range by a policeman.
    — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • On the other side of Via Solari, a handful of policemen gathered around dozens of demonstrators, who ardently—but peacefully—chanted for entirely different reasons.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of policeman
Noun
  • The scripts were written based on their own reporting, including court documents, investigation transcripts, and interviews with detectives, witnesses, and even Laurie Valdez, an old friend of Wuornos’ who’d never previously spoken with the press.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Sharon Raydor, played by Mary McDonnell, in charge of her team, an endearing, quirky crew of veteran detectives who show up en masse at every crime scene like Mystery Incorporated.
    — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of detective
Noun
  • The most justifiable criticism against the DC detective series is that its mysteries play out wordily, without letting the audience in on how its space cops come to major conclusions.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In 2018, she was charged with driving under the influence where cops allegedly found drug paraphernalia.
    — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of cop
Noun
  • The first trial of Payton and Dandrae Martin lasted weeks and included extensive testimony from police investigators, gang experts and the defendants themselves.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • By that time, investigators had run down anonymous tips, interviewed witnesses and contacted attorneys hired by the accused, the documents show.
    — Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of investigator
Noun
  • That officer then shot into Perez's vehicle, lodging a bullet in his back, officials say.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The message described a company with €80 billion in annual revenue that was looking for a chief sustainability officer.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of officer
Noun
  • Jenna Ziviani, a constable at the police station, helped deliver Lyla while receiving guidance from an ambulance officer on the phone.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Thompson alerted a town administrator and special constable named Sherise Fountain, who went to investigate.
    — Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of constable

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Cite this Entry

“Shamus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamus. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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