shadowy

1 of 2

adjective

shad·​owy ˈsha-dō-ē 

-də-wē

1

a

: of the nature of or resembling a shadow

b

: faintly perceptible : indistinct

2

: being in or obscured by shadow

deep shadowy interiors

3

a

: shady sense 1

b

: shady sense 3

shadowily

ˈsha-də-wə-lē 

adverb

shadowiness

ˈsha-də-wē-nəs 

noun

shadowiness

2 of 2

noun

shad·​ow·​i·​ness -dəw|ēnə̇s 

-dō|, 

|in-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being shadowy

the shadowiness of night

that shadowiness … you find in people whose lives are part of the social organism

—W. S. Maugham

Synonyms of shadowy

Adjective

• vague
• faint
• hazy

Examples of shadowy in a Sentence

Adjective

She was pursued by a shadowy figure.

He had only a shadowy idea of what they wanted him to do.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Through conversations with Noah (Colin Firth), head of the shadowy WARDEX corporation, Jane starts to have second thoughts about helping Daniel leak the extraterrestrial documents. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 June 2026

As a general rule, North-facing rooms benefit from warm colors to counteract cool, shadowy light, while South-facing rooms can handle richer colors and true whites under abundant golden light. —Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2026

But given the governing bodies’ reputation for shadowy financial doings, there are reasons to think much of the money will never be properly accounted for. —Stefan Szymanski, Fortune, 12 June 2026

In the new film, a shadowy government organization, not a handful of ethically minded scientists, tries to hide the existence and terrestrial visitations of aliens. —Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

shadowy

adjective

shad·​owy ˈshad-ə-wē 

1

a

: not realistic

shadowy dreams of glory

b

: dim as a shadow

the shadowy area between good and bad

2

: full of shade

a shadowy lane