1
as in policemen
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 detectives
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shamuses
Noun
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Over 160 countries observe Labour Day on May 1, the anniversary of the Haymarket Riot, when several protesters and policemen were killed during a demonstration to reduce working hours, according to Time and Date.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026 -
Prescott also concluded that two other policemen, Officer Robert Bohm and Det.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Execution-style murder Within weeks, detectives arrested Jackson, a neighbor whose fingerprints and DNA were found inside the home, according to authorities.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
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Following his court appearance, Evanston police detectives later took Lee into custody in connection with the Mason Park shooting, according to the report.—
Claire Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The officers had transported the suspect, who had been arrested on suspicion of robbery, to the hospital for observation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Investigators said Perera Nuñez failed to stop when approached by officers, got out of his car, and ran, prompting a large search involving the Florida Highway Patrol and Homeland Security.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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At the time, federal investigators in Boston were heavily focused on violent crime, drug trafficking and organized crime cases.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
According to Diane, at the time of Denise’s disappearance, investigators searched fields and open land for any sign of her, but nothing was ever recovered.—
Sarah Dahlberg,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Good cops in this business tend to have more friends but fewer rings.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
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Garcia De Jesus lived in Yonkers, cops said.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The trio took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles as part of a PaleyFest event commemorating five decades of Charlie's Angels, the groundbreaking ABC series that followed a group of female private detectives.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Apr. 2026
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Jackson was involved with the show — which followed three beautiful private detectives — from the very beginning, helping Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg put together the idea after her time on The Rookies.—
Kirsten Chuba,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Off stage, Benedick and Beatrice spar their way toward the aisle, while our bumbling constables take center stage.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
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Agencies assisting included Tarrant County constables, police departments from Fort Worth and Forest Hill, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The report wasn’t news to NFL teams, which routinely employ private investigators to dig into draft prospects and compile detailed reports on their backgrounds.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Priestley and Supernatural’s Cindy Sampson have reprised their roles as private investigators Matt Shade and Angie Everett in the series, which was originally greenlit by Canada’s Corus Entertainment.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Shamuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamuses. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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