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
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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
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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
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But as concerned as the reactions may be, politicians and policemen alike seem to knowingly (and preemptively) pass the blame around.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
-
He was supposed to meet Atre at this address at this time, but instead there was a policeman standing sentry outside.—
Scott Eden,
Rolling Stone,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Wright, who formerly worked as a detective, said the video contains apparent facial features such as a mustache and that investigators should be able to calculate height, shoe size and brands of clothing.—
Ramon Padilla,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
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DeOrzio turned himself in to county detectives Tuesday morning and is awaiting an arraignment and preliminary hearing.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Encounter with Warwick cop left him paralyzed.—
Kathleen Hill,
The Providence Journal,
14 Feb. 2026
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The screen fades to black, and then, seconds later, Kid and the bullies are on their knees with their hands behind their heads, facing a cop who has his gun drawn.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Game and Fish investigators requested camera video from homeowners in the areas where poaching activity was known to have occurred.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
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According to the subsequent findings of state investigators, Cooke took the child to the basement of her home and placed her in a Pack ‘n Play portable crib for a nap.—
Clark Kauffman,
Iowa Capital Dispatch,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The two officers may be fired and potentially face criminal prosecution, Lyons said.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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An immigration officer chased Aljorna who, according to the government, violently resisted arrest.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said Monday that constables have had good conversations with county leaders ahead of the bill becoming law and that his office was working with neighborhoods to ensure that the fiscal impact to Harris County wouldn’t be significant.—
John Lomax V,
Houston Chronicle,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shamus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamus. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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