SHAMUS Synonyms: 51 Similar and Opposite Words

shamus

noun

ˈshä-məs

Definition of shamus

slang

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

civilian

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 show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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 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

Thaksin Shinawatra, the larger-than-life former policeman and telecom billionaire, built up enormous power as prime minister in the early 2000s, incurring the disdain of royalists.

— Duncan McCargo, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2026
You’ll be attacked in the street for that, the policeman appeared to be telling him.

— Ledio Cakaj, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of policeman

Noun

Bernadette explains the racial nuances the Guardians might not know as newcomers to Earth, echoing the landmark 1971 Green Lantern/Green Arrow comic series, which attempts to bring the space cops down to Earth by exposing them to racial strife.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
In the years since Shakur's murder, what exactly happened in that hail of bullets -- and who pulled the trigger -- was obscured by a lack of physical evidence, feuding cops and the gangland code of silence.

— Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of cop

Noun

At Fox Hollow, investigators started with remains but few clues about their identities.

— Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Joseph Weiss was charged in 2023 with lying to federal investigators about his brother’s reputed mob ties, including his previous contacts with Schweihs and Dominic.

— Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of investigator

Noun

The department said officers found a male victim and started life-saving measures until Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue arrived.

— Matthew Ablon, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
The guillotine was in the bed of a pickup truck spotted near the Capitol and the Supreme Court, where, officers said, it was illegally parked.

— Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of officer

Noun

Jenna Ziviani, a constable at the police station, helped deliver Lyla while receiving guidance from an ambulance officer on the phone.

— Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
Thompson alerted a town administrator and special constable named Sherise Fountain, who went to investigate.

— Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of constable

Browse Nearby Words

shams

shamus

shamuses

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Shamus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shamus. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of shamus

noun

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