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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However, her personable commanding officer Majid (Shafi al-Harthi) sees the value in her perspective when a high school student’s body turns up in the desert, and Nawal discerns clues from details which the policemen overlook, from the girl’s manicure to the embroidery on her abaya.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
8 June 2026 -
Eight policemen and at least four civilians died.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
Noun
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Authorities said detectives are still working to identify four teenage boys using surveillance video.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
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All four were found with stab wounds, detectives say.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
Noun
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There was already a large police presence at the scene, including off-duty officers working for the festival, and some officers heard the shots.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
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As officers still watched, without approaching due to the possibility that the suspect was armed with a gun, the homeowner came out onto their porch and appeared to be shouting at the suspect.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
Noun
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At Wednesday's news conference, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden described the scene investigators encountered.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
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Cuts expected to remain include a sharp reduction in zoning investigators, the elimination of a fee waiver encouraging sidewalk repairs and cuts to the city’s bomb squad.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
Noun
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The buddy cops’ zesty chemistry goes out on a high as Detective Campbell and Lieutenant Cole bicker next to ambulance at the film’s end.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
5 June 2026
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Pena lives in Mott Haven, more than five miles from the 50th Precinct stationhouse, cops said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
5 June 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
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Troopers and Beacon Falls constables responded to the home and detained Drozdowski, state police said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
6 May 2026
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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
Noun
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Meanwhile, the victims were still being intimidated by Epstein’s private investigators.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
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Though an exhaustive search was conducted, including an intensive investigation by authorities, private investigators and true-crime enthusiasts, Natalee, who was 18 at the time, was never found.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Shamuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamuses. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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