shade

1 of 2

noun

ˈshād 

plural shades

1

a

: comparative darkness or obscurity produced when something blocks the light of the sun

The buildings cast shade on the plaza.

b

: relative obscurity or retirement

This convention is so taken with [Sarah] Palin that even [presidential Republican candidate John] McCain occasionally seems cast in the shade.

—William March and Billy House

2

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

The tree provides plenty of shade.

also : a place sheltered from the sun

found a seat in the shade

3

: a lingering image of something passing away : something that has become reduced almost to nothing

Our waterways are very much alive, but most have been reduced to a shade of their former glory.

—Michael Pollock

4

shades plural

a

chiefly literary : the shadows that gather as darkness comes on : the growing darkness after sunset

… they were enveloped in the shades of night which they had no candle to disperse.

—Thomas Hardy

b

archaic : netherworld, hades

Your obligations to me, Sir, are not to cease with my life. They continue even beyond the grave … my being your zealous apologist in the shades.

—Sarah Churchill

5

a

: a disembodied spirit : ghost

… the shade of Eurydice struggles frantically to follow Orpheus beyond the river of the dead.

—David Cairns

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

… an otherworldliness that bears shades of Toni Morrison's magical realism.

—Arifa Akbar

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 : lampshade

a lamp with a broken shade

b

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

c

shades plural, informal : sunglasses

7

a

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

a landscape with contrasting areas of light and shade

b

: a subdued or somber feature (as of a work of art)

The lights and shades of the work were captured by the pianist.

8

a

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

b

: a color slightly different from the one under consideration

a bright shade of blue

9

a

: a minute difference or variation : nuance

a word with many shades of meaning

b

: a minute degree or quantity

She was just a shade taller than her father.

10

: a facial expression of sadness or displeasure

A shade of annoyance passed over the escort's face.

—W. E. B. Du Bois

11

informal : contempt or disrespect for someone or something expressed especially in an indirect or subtle way

… appeared to cast shade at the video app without mentioning it by name …

—Miles Klee

… Mia's Twitter shade only came after Karen took a shot of her own …

—Brice Sander

Now she used her set at the … festival to address her haters with some subtle shade …

—Njera Perkins

No shade, but horror movies are not my thing.

—@hyenasandgin, on X, formerly Twitter

see also throw shade

shadeless

ˈshād-ləs 

adjective

shade

2 of 2

verb

shaded; shading

transitive verb

1

a

: 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

5

a

: 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

shader noun

Synonyms

Noun

• dusk
• penumbra
• shadiness
• shadow
• umbra

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

Noun

The tint blends in nicely with my skin (a deeper shade is available, too) and adds a healthy, nongreasy glow. —Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 10 May 2025

This Milani foundation is available in more than 30 shades. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 9 May 2025

Verb

Add a light layer of mulch around plants to shade the soil. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 May 2025

But others described a darkness that hung over their time there, shading their bright memories of playing concerts and hanging out with friends. —Air Mail, 3 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English sceadu; akin to Old High German scato shadow, Greek skotos darkness

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

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

Phrases Containing shade

• a shade
• have it made in the shade
• in the shade
• No shade
• put (someone or something) in the shade
• shade-grown
• shade into
• shade tree
• throw shade
• window shade

Rhymes for shade

• aid
• aide
• bade
• blade
• braid
• clade
• dade
• fade
• flayed
• fraid
• frayed
• gade

Kids Definition

shade

1 of 2 noun

ˈshād 

1

: partial darkness

the trees cast shade

2

: space sheltered from the heat and bright light of the sun

sit in the shade of a tree

3

plural : the shadows that gather as darkness falls

the shades of night

4

: spirit entry 1 sense 2b, ghost

5

: something that blocks off or cuts down light, sun, or heat

a lamp shade

a window shade

6

: the darkening of some objects in a painting or drawing to suggest that they are in shade

7

: the darkness or lightness of a color

four shades of brown

8

: a very small difference or amount

just a shade taller

shades of meaning

shadeless

-ləs 

adjective

shade

2 of 2 verb

shaded; shading

1

: to shelter from light or heat

2

: to mark with changes of light or color

shade a drawing

3

: to show or begin to have slight differences of color, value, or meaning

shader noun