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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However, detectives noted that the person of interest is currently in prison for an unrelated violent case, and people should no longer be afraid to speak up.—
Ted Scouten,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
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Police said detectives later identified the Davis man as the suspect in the stabbing.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His projects have been with athletes, politicians, chief executive officers, the director of a botanical garden, a physician, a Nepalese monk, a theoretical physicist.—
John McPhee,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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In a photo shared by police, officers appeared to have recovered stacks of 20-dollar bills, pills in prescription bottles, and a white powdery substance in little baggies.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Surveillance cameras and license plate readers are commonly used by investigators and have rarely been challenged.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
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The suspect accused of leading troopers on a police chase through Buckhead before crashing at one of the area's busiest intersections has now been identified, according to an update from investigators.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Lantigua lived in East New York, around 2 miles from where he was killed, cops said.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
11 Apr. 2026
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Duran was seen crying in the courtroom on Thursday, as cops from across the department showed up to support him.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
10 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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Health projects that Naqvi had promised had come to nothing, and the Gates Foundation and other investors hired private investigators to trace the whereabouts of their money.—
Hettie O'Brien,
The Dial,
21 Apr. 2026
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Charlie's Angels centered on three private investigators who, under orders from their enigmatic but never visible boss, Charlie Townsend, solved cases together using their wits and style.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Shamuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamuses. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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