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
Relevance
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
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
Wired, 1 Nov. 2019
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shamus
Noun
-
He was engaged in a battle of courtesy with some policemen over a brand of cigarettes called Long Life.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Two Israeli strikes early Sunday in the Gaza Strip killed six Palestinians, including three policemen.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Police detectives are investigating two shootings that happened a short time apart in two Pittsburgh neighborhoods located not far from one another.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
After investigating the shooting, Boston Police detectives were able to obtain a warrant for the suspect out of Suffolk County Juvenile Court for several gun charges and armed assault to murder.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
My friend Thai, whose parents were part of the Weather Underground leadership, remembers his father, Jeff Jones, coming home one day to find their family’s Hoboken apartment surrounded by cops—a fire inspector had spotted his tiny crop of marijuana plants on the fire escape.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The city is also on the hook to hire 4,000 cops after voters changed the city’s charter in 2024.—
Devyani Chhetri,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But Johnson-Swartz began calling and texting in the days that followed, the student told investigators.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
In a related email to Abbott, neonatologist Robert White of Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana, and Pediatrix Medical Group — an investigator in the study — explained his concerns.—
David Hilzenrath,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
He is expected to survive and was identified as 68-year-old William Brumley of Vallejo, officers said.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Then, police say, Shipp got a hold of an officer’s pepper spray but wasn’t able to use it.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Hardin went on to work for the Precinct 4 constable's office and has since had his criminal case expunged.—
Nicole Hensley,
Houston Chronicle,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Set during the Song Dynasty, the film stars Liu Fengchao as Xue Buyi, a disciplined but rigid constable who becomes the target of a conspiracy after being framed for a robbery.—
Faye Bradley,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shamus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamus. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
