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
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
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
With Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright back at the creative helm (and The Hollywood Reporter columnist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the writing staff), the season picks up with Veronica (Bell) still working as a shamus in her SoCal hometown of Neptune.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 July 2019
Chris Koseluk, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
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
With Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright back at the creative helm (and The Hollywood Reporter columnist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the writing staff), the season picks up with Veronica (Bell) still working as a shamus in her SoCal hometown of Neptune.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shamus
Noun
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He was stopped by policemen, who heard the story and waved them on.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
16 July 2025
-
This is the meat of the film, tormenting Jeanne with all the possibilities (a friendly policeman tracks Suzanne to Belgium, where the trail goes cold).—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
10 July 2025
Noun
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Metro Nashville Police Department homicide detectives are investigating after a woman's body, covered by a garbage bag, was discovered off the side of the road in South Nashville on July 19.—
Austin Hornbostel,
Nashville Tennessean,
20 July 2025
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Police have classified the death a homicide, and detectives are investigating.—
William Tong,
Chicago Tribune,
19 July 2025
Noun
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Should a birthright citizen not be held accountable for running a red light because local cops don’t have jurisdiction?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
14 July 2025
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The cops were surprisingly, ostentatiously polite when the time came—when they were done waiting.—
Clare Sestanovich,
New Yorker,
13 July 2025
Noun
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The suspect fled on foot and dropped the gun, according to investigators.—
Quinlan Bentley,
The Enquirer,
23 July 2025
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According to investigators, Melina and her father crossed into the U.S. from Canada on July 11 for what was supposed to be a vacation.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
23 July 2025
Noun
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Currently, only cities that have opted into civil service rules for officers – Austin, Houston and San Antonio among them – can keep a G file.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
26 July 2025
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Many fishers have lost their livelihoods overnight, with about a third of the state waters completely devoid of fish, according to Pat Tripodi, the executive officer of the Marine Fishers Association, which represents the interests of most commercial fishing license holders in the state.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
26 July 2025
Noun
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In addition to his time as police chief of Gateway, Hardin served two terms as a constable in Benton County.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
10 July 2025
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The constable’s office said the woman, who was armed with a handgun, was refusing to drop the weapon.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shamus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamus. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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