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
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Examples 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.
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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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The incident hit a nerve in the city where there has been growing public anger over police violence, including an incident where an off-duty policeman killed a man for allegedly stealing soap from a market, Reuters reported.Abel Alvarado, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024
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Armed policemen are a common sight in Panama City and tourist areas in particular, are very safe.Kathleen Peddicord, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
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During a Monday news conference, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said detectives were traveling to Altoona, about 100 miles east of Pittsburgh, to interview Mangione.James Powel, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
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Joseph Kenny, the NYPD's chief of detectives, confirmed Monday that the note is now in the possession of the Altoona Police Department.Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The Beverly Hills cop movies, spanning three theatrical releases, counts $712M at the global box office; the fourth title Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F recently becoming a Netflix streaming hit.Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 17 Dec. 2024
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That marks a Season 14 high for the family/cop drama, including the 10 episodes that aired February through May; a second straight week of growth (+11%); and a 3% increase over May’s mid-season finale.Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Kenny added that investigators found evidence that Mangione knew of UnitedHealthcare's annual investor conference in New York City.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
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Federal investigators began looking into Jafari-Hassad’s operation in 2019.Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Police told the person to drop their weapon, but the individual pointed it at officers.Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
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In a statement, the Boston Police Department said one of its officers specializing in surveillance saw there was an Unmanned Aircraft System flying near Logan International Airport.Ayana Archie, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The arrest is the latest legal trouble against Hatch, who faces numerous charges following an extensive investigation by police into the constable’s office that also saw numerous deputy constables arrested.Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Oct. 2024
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The Statesman's examination of dispatch logs revealed that county constables have been providing overnight and weekend protection to Garza’s home since February — a security force mobilized within days of the posting of his address on social media.Tony Plohetski, Austin American-Statesman, 24 Sep. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near shamus
Cite this Entry
“Shamus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamus. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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