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
Relevance
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
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.
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
-
Prescott also concluded that two other policemen, Officer Robert Bohm and Det.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Jeff Pope’s latest BBC factual drama is about the tragic death of Sarah Everard, who was killed by a serving policeman in London in 2021.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Police detectives are investigating two shootings that happened a short time apart in two Pittsburgh neighborhoods located not far from one another.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
After investigating the shooting, Boston Police detectives were able to obtain a warrant for the suspect out of Suffolk County Juvenile Court for several gun charges and armed assault to murder.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The driver who hit him didn’t remain at the scene, cops said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Roughly two hours after escaping through the passenger side door with some assistance, he was placed in the back of a cop car.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Riverside County District Attorney's Office In 2024, investigators working in conjunction with the Riverside County Coroner's Office and the Regional Cold Case Homicide Team re-examined the case with new advances in forensic science, including genetic genealogy.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Hunters exploring in a remote section of the 500,000-acre Pisgah National Forest stumbled onto a body in the dark, according to investigators in western North Carolina.—
Mark Price
April 5,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Back in the day, only high ranking officers could ascend the staircase.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Two other people were present with him, but officers have not identified them and did not say they were detained.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hardin went on to work for the Precinct 4 constable's office and has since had his criminal case expunged.—
Nicole Hensley,
Houston Chronicle,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Set during the Song Dynasty, the film stars Liu Fengchao as Xue Buyi, a disciplined but rigid constable who becomes the target of a conspiracy after being framed for a robbery.—
Faye Bradley,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shamus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamus. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
