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
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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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Eya was just 9-years-old when both her parents were shot by hooded, uniformed policemen at around three in the morning in August 2016.—
Kathleen Magramo,
CNN Money,
12 Apr. 2025
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One time, an actor was hired to dress up as a policeman and arrest one of the teens—leaving them in tears.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Less than a year ago, two Elgin detectives were named to the police department’s new cold case unit.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
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Katt's other notable roles included that of teacher Harry Senate on the school drama Boston Public, crooked finance associate Greg Weinstein in Boiler Room, and detective Frank Duggar in Speakeasy.—
Kat Stinson,
EW.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Kids threw popcorn, cheered, and gave a standing ovation, refusing to settle down even as the lights came on and the cops showed up.—
Issy van der Velde,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2025
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The new season involves a prison break and follows a criminal group, the Phantom Gang, undertaking more daring heists while being pursued by the cops.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Deputies took a missing persons report, but Sheriff’s investigators soon suspected the elderly Sayasane had been killed, with signs pointing to his roommate, 31-year-old Benjamin Dougherty.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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Miami Gardens’ investigators on Friday afternoon were still trying to determine who the shooter was and the circumstances of the altercation, the spokesperson said.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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On arriving, Pembroke Park Police, Hallandale Beach Police and Broward Sheriff’s officers found the six people who had been shot; only Phiinyx Solomon and McKenzie were alive at the time.—
Kathy Laskowski,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2025
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The Knights’ chief operating officer then smiled.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The mail carrier was whipped in multiple spots by the tool’s fast-spinning cord during the attack, according to Mark Herman, the constable for Harris County Precinct 4.—
Mark Price,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Mar. 2025
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Last November, a jury rejected his claim that Nowland posed a threat and found the former senior constable guilty of breaching his duty of care by deploying his weapon against the elderly woman, who later died of her injuries.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shamus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamus. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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