shade

noun

\ ˈshād

Definition of shade

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : comparative darkness or obscurity owing to interception of the rays of light

b : relative obscurity or retirement

2a : shelter (as by foliage) from the heat and glare of sunlight

b : a place sheltered from the sun

3 : an evanescent or unreal appearance

4 shades plural

a : the shadows that gather as darkness comes on

b : netherworld, hades

5a : a disembodied spirit : ghost

b —used to signal the similarity between a previously encountered person or situation and one at hand —usually used in plural shades of my childhood

6 : something that intercepts or shelters from light, sun, or heat: such as

a : a device partially covering a lamp so as to reduce glare

b : a flexible screen usually mounted on a roller for regulating the light or the view through a window

c shades plural : sunglasses

7a : the reproduction of the effect of shade in painting or drawing

b : a subdued or somber feature

8a : a color produced by a pigment or dye mixture having some black in it

b : a color slightly different from the one under consideration

9a : a minute difference or variation : nuance

b : a minute degree or quantity

10 : a facial expression of sadness or displeasure

throw shade

US slang

: to express contempt or disrespect for someone publicly especially by subtle or indirect insults or criticisms Christopher Oram's elegant set is a pillared palazzo; at cafe tables wasp-waisted women sip tiny cups of espresso and throw shade at their rivals from behind dark glasses …— Sam Marlowe

shade

verb

shaded; shading

Definition of shade (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to shelter or screen by intercepting radiated light or heat

b : to cover with a shade

2 : to hide partly by or as if by a shadow

3 : to darken with or as if with a shadow

4 : to better or exceed by a shade

5a : to represent the effect of shade or shadow on

b : to add shading to

c : to color so that the shades pass gradually from one to another

6 : to change by gradual transition or qualification

7 : to reduce slightly shade a price

8 : slant, bias

intransitive verb

1 : to pass by slight changes or imperceptible degrees

2 : to undergo or exhibit minute difference or variation

Other Words from shade Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about shade

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Synonyms for shade

Synonyms: Noun

dusk, penumbra, shadiness, shadow, umbra

Synonyms: Verb

shadow

Examples of shade in a Sentence

Noun

The buildings cast shade on the plaza. The tree provided plenty of shade. These plants grow well in shade. It was a hot sunny day, but luckily their seats for the game were in the shade. We sat in the shade of a willow tree. He used his hand as a shade as he looked out into the bright sunlight. a lamp with a broken shade She pulled down the shades. She was wearing a cool pair of shades.

Verb

Several large trees shade the house. She shaded the drawing to give it depth. The shaded part of the graph represents the amount of sales. The article shaded the truth by revealing only one side of the story.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The high placement of the wings provide shaded entry into the cabin, shielding riders from light rain as they board. — Don Reisinger, Fortune, "Check Out the Uber Air Flying Car That Will Transport Passengers of the Future," 8 May 2018 If your longtime veggie beds have become shaded by mature trees (or if your garden is all shade), find a new spot to plant. — Debbie Arrington, sacbee, "Here's why new gardeners should get 'training wheels' and skip the beefsteaks | The Sacramento Bee," 23 Mar. 2018 Baldwin was at the front of the bunch left, with Moore shaded a step behind him to the left and Lockett two steps behind but to the right. — Bob Condotta, The Seattle Times, "Seahawks Play of the Week: Breaking down Rashaad Penny’s big run in his breakout game," 13 Nov. 2018 Fans also speculated that Kloss shaded Swift with a hashtag on one of her Instagram posts, which apparently referenced one of Katy Perry's singles. — Rachel Epstein, Marie Claire, "Karlie Kloss and Taylor Swift Reunited Publicly for the First Time in Forever," 27 Aug. 2018 Lawrence shaded herself from the sun with a fresh alternative to the usual paparazzi-proofing baseball cap: a leather version. — Edward Barsamian, Vogue, "Jennifer Lawrence Turns the T-Shirt-and-Jeans Pairing Into an Art Form," 24 July 2018 Seedlings get some direct sun for a brief time before the house shades them again. — Margaret Lauterbach, idahostatesman, "Don’t jump the gun on spring planting | Idaho Statesman," 17 Apr. 2018 Truly, the couple that shades together stays together. — Constance Grady, Vox, "The best part of Michelle Obama’s new memoir is how much smack she talks about her husband," 13 Nov. 2018 Zayn Malik In his 2016 Billboard interview, Zayn subtly shaded ex Perrie Edwards. — Stacey Grant, Seventeen, "18 Celebs Who Threw Massive Amounts of Shade at Their Exes," 17 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shade.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.