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
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
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The policeman asked where the shell was.—
Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Born Marilyn Seils in Chicago, Istel was the daughter of a Chicago policeman, Otto Seils.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Anyone with information regarding the man’s death can contact homicide detectives at 816-234-5043 or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
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This time, police taped off the house and questioned Sutton-Schulman for two hours until a detective got a call from the hospital confirming that L had attempted suicide in the woods behind the house.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Claudette is able to halt the theft about halfway through, unaware that the mystery woman is hiding behind her with a gun, ready to take her out — until the cops enter the room.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
4 Sep. 2025
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Kristen raced to the school and found a cop waiting for her as well as firetrucks and an ambulance, where her son was inside screaming.—
Wendy Grossman Kantor,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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After witnessing Nillo driving erratically after leaving the commissioner’s apartment building, investigators stopped her and seized the vehicle.—
Joey Flechas,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
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This suspect has now been stopped in his tracks because of the diligent and tenacious work done by investigators at both the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Dean, a high-ranking Black officer at the fire department with nearly four decades of experience, in June threatened to sue the city if he was not allowed to compete for the department’s top job.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
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To stop the protestors, security officers started with water cannons, and then resorted to tear gas, according to local media.—
Rajeev Tyagi,
ABC News,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In a news conference on Tuesday evening, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush confirmed a 59-year-old detective, and a 35-year-old senior constable had been fatally shot, and another detective was seriously injured and being treated in hospital.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
26 Aug. 2025
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When authorities arrived at the residence, the constable's office said in a statement that Bryan had unsuccessfully attempted to flee out of a window.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shamus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamus. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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