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
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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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Five were killed in an airstrike on the villages of Deir Qanoun al Nahr and Abbasiyeh, while a municipal policeman was killed in the village of Ebba, state media reported.—
Bassem Mroue,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
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At the same time, Pratchett was not an anarchist—Vimes is a policeman, which is depicted as a heroic profession—or an identitarian.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
24 May 2026
Noun
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Applegate refused to leave until police officers arrived, according to the detective, a threat management expert.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
2 June 2026
-
Flim-flam men and demonic detectives to the front.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
Noun
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Just the extent to which Friedkin and former undercover cop Randy Jurgensen, who served as an advisor, immersed themselves in the gay fetish milieu while developing the project makes for juicy insights.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
6 June 2026
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The buddy cops’ zesty chemistry goes out on a high as Detective Campbell and Lieutenant Cole bicker next to ambulance at the film’s end.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
5 June 2026
Noun
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At Wednesday's news conference, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden described the scene investigators encountered.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
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Residents and festivalgoers were urged to avoid the area and expect a significant law enforcement presence as officers continue their search and investigators work to determine what led to the shooting.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
Noun
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Upon arrival, officers discovered multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds, police said.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
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Residents and festivalgoers were urged to avoid the area and expect a significant law enforcement presence as officers continue their search and investigators work to determine what led to the shooting.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
Noun
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Troopers and Beacon Falls constables responded to the home and detained Drozdowski, state police said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
6 May 2026
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Denise Paul Hatch, a former Center Township constable, is appealing her 2024 felony conviction for official misconduct.—
Robert Yoon,
Chicago Tribune,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shamus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamus. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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