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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My grand plan was to be one of the policemen in one of the episodes.
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Disgruntled, the policemen stormed out of the house.
Noun
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Based on witness statements, detectives identified the suspect as 35-year-old Salvador Villalaz, the Sheriff’s Office said.
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The police car, a silver Ford Taurus used by the investigation division, contained two Oakland police homicide detectives who were able to continue their shift after the crash, authorities said.
Noun
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In one case, a 20-year-old man was caught in a sting operation after anti-corruption officers turned up posing as buyers.
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At the scene, officers found spent shell casings and damage to a vehicle believed to have been struck by gunfire.
Noun
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Othram, based in The Woodlands, Texas, specializes in advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy, a method that can help investigators identify suspects or unknown victims when traditional law enforcement databases do not produce a match.
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Police located and arrested the three suspects on June 30, though the investigation remains active as investigators search for any outstanding suspects.
Noun
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Robert Karroll was shot in his ballistic vest by an 18-year-old gunman who approached the officer’s unmarked vehicle in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, cops said.
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The cops posted outside of the nearby Swarovski and PINK stores are similarly unwilling to entertain my interrogations.
Noun
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Meanwhile, private detectives probed Hadley’s vulnerabilities as a witness.
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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.
Noun
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Troopers and Beacon Falls constables responded to the home and detained Drozdowski, state police said.
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Off stage, Benedick and Beatrice spar their way toward the aisle, while our bumbling constables take center stage.
Noun
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Depending on the circumstances, this may include private investigators, attorneys, cybersecurity professionals, exchanges, regulators or law enforcement agencies.
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Ever since Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement, fans have turned into part-time wedding planners, part-time private investigators and full-time internet detectives.
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Cite this Entry
“Shamuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamuses. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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