shamuses

noun

plural of shamus, slang
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

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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
  1. policemen
  2. detectives
  3. officers
  4. investigators
  5. cops
  6. private detectives
  7. constables
  8. private investigators
Noun
  • When plans were made for a visit to Japan by President Eisenhower in 1960—it was eventually called off—there weren’t enough policemen to guard his route into Tokyo, so the yakuza were mobilized to help.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • On the other side of Via Solari, a handful of policemen gathered around dozens of demonstrators, who ardently—but peacefully—chanted for entirely different reasons.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of policemen
Noun
  • Anyone with information is asked to call KCPD homicide detectives at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Sheriff’s officials said the detectives later identified Morales Garcia, Farfan Ambriz and Medina as suspects in the homicide and obtained arrest warrants for them.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of detectives
Noun
  • Others spoke of police chokeholds and the grainy footage that showed officers striking King with batons.
    — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Two off-duty California State Parks officers rescued a woman from a burning vehicle Friday morning after a rollover off Highway 70 in Sutter County, officials said.
    — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of officers
Noun
  • The investigators notified the Mexican army, providing the license plate number.
    — Steve Fisher Special Correspondent Follow, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • This month, Philadelphia police and FBI investigators returned to the Horsch house, searching for any physical evidence that could confirm what the horrific images appear to show.
    — Danny Freeman, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of investigators
Noun
  • Since the nineteen-nineties, a Korean New Wave had been praised for embedding capitalist critique in movies packed with monsters, slithering octopuses, killers, and killer cops.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Attorneys who represent officers that have sued the department over whistleblower retaliation dismiss the claim by Chief Jim McDonnell and others that some cops are exaggerating their claims in pursuit of a big payday.
    — Sean Greene, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of cops
Noun
  • Meanwhile, private detectives probed Hadley’s vulnerabilities as a witness.
    — Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of private detectives
Noun
  • The woman was able to flee the scene and located deputy constables.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
  • Troopers and Beacon Falls constables responded to the home and detained Drozdowski, state police said.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 6 May 2026
Definition of constables
Noun
  • The private investigators recovered one truck with help from the Mexican army.
    — Steve Fisher Special Correspondent Follow, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • During the test, two private investigators were hired to conduct surveillance on Hogan.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of private investigators
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.

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shamus
shamuses
shanghai
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Cite this Entry

“Shamuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamuses. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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