shadow

1 of 3

noun

shad·​ow ˈsha-(ˌ)dō 

1

: the dark figure cast upon a surface by a body intercepting the rays from a source of light

2

: partial darkness or obscurity within a part of space from which rays from a source of light are cut off by an interposed opaque body

3

: a small degree or portion : trace

4

: an attenuated form or a vestigial remnant

5

a

: an inseparable companion or follower

b

: one (such as a spy or detective) who shadows someone

6

a

: an area near an object : vicinity

b

: pervasive and dominant influence

7

: a shaded or darker portion of a picture

8

: a reflected image

9

: shelter from danger or observation

10

a

: an imperfect and faint representation

b

: an imitation of something : copy

11

: phantom

12

shadows plural : dark sense 1a

13

: a source of gloom or unhappiness

14

: a state of ignominy or obscurity

shadowless

ˈsha-dō-ləs 

-də-ləs

adjective

shadowlike

ˈsha-dō-ˌlīk 

-də-ˌlīk

adjective

shadow

2 of 3

verb

shadowed; shadowing; shadows

transitive verb

1

: to cast a shadow upon : cloud

2

a

: to follow especially secretly : trail

b

: to accompany and observe especially in a professional setting

3

: to represent or indicate obscurely or faintly

—often used with forth or out

4

archaic : shelter, protect

5

archaic : shade sense 5

6

obsolete : to shelter from the sun

7

obsolete : conceal

intransitive verb

1

: to pass gradually or by degrees

2

: to become overcast with or as if with shadows

shadower

ˈsha-dō-ər 

-də-wər

noun

shadow

3 of 3

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or resembling a shadow cabinet

shadow minister of defense

2

a

: having an indistinct pattern

shadow plaid

b

: having darker sections of design

shadow lace

Synonyms

Noun

• dusk
• penumbra
• shade
• shadiness
• umbra

Verb

• bird-dog
• chase
• course
• dog
• follow
• hound
• pursue
• run
• tag
• tail
• trace
• track
• trail

Examples of shadow in a Sentence

Noun

The tree cast a long shadow across the lawn.

You can see your own shadow on a sunny day.

Part of the valley was in shadow.

He saw something moving in the shadows.

I sensed a shadow of disappointment in his expression.

Verb

Police shadowed the suspect for several days.

She spent the night shadowing other waiters at the restaurant.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Indeed, from his earliest days, he's had almost something of a shadow career to his more visible one making award-winning narratives. —Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 21 May 2025

Military setbacks on the battlefield, diplomatic isolation, and stronger sanctions—especially those targeting shadow fleets and third-party oil buyers. —Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025

Verb

The Kentucky senator attempted to put forth an amendment that would increase the debt ceiling in the United States every three months to shadow federal spending cuts. —Jenny Goldsberry, The Washington Examiner, 22 May 2025

Six girls of various ages shadow Salome throughout the production, evoking a horrific childhood. —Alex Ross, New Yorker, 19 May 2025

Adjective

The pre-shadow phase of the retrograde starts in motion the things that will affect us during the retrograde, so this is when the drama first manifests. —Lisa Stardust, Glamour, 3 June 2022

The sooner, the better, as this transit has a pre-shadow period starting before the retrograde itself hits. —Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English shadwe, from Old English sceaduw-, sceadu shade

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4

Adjective

1906, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing shadow

• a shadow of (a) doubt
• beyond a shadow of a doubt
• eye shadow
• five-o'clock shadow
• ghost/shadow of one's former self
• in the shadow of
• rain shadow
• shadow ban
• shadow box
• shadow cabinet
• shadow dance
• shadow mask
• shadow play

Rhymes for shadow

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Kids Definition

shadow

1 of 2 noun

shad·​ow ˈshad-ō 

1

: shade within certain bounds

the valley was in shadow

2

: a reflected image (as in a mirror)

3

: shelter from danger or view

4

a

: an imperfect and faint representation

b

: an imitation of something

5

: the dark figure cast on a surface by a body that is between the surface and the light

my shadow stays with me

6

: phantom entry 1

7

plural : darkness caused by the setting of the sun

twilight shadows

8

: a shaded part of a picture

9

: a form from which the substance has departed : remnant, vestige

10

a

: an inseparable companion or follower

b

: a person who shadows as a spy or detective

11

: a very little bit : trace

not a shadow of a doubt

12

: a source of gloom or unhappiness

shadowless

-ləs 

adjective

shadowlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

shadow

2 of 2 verb

1

: to cast a shadow on

2

: to follow especially secretly : trail

shadower

ˈshad-ə-wər 

noun

Medical Definition

shadow

1 of 2 noun

shad·​ow ˈshad-(ˌ)ō, -ə(-w) 

1

a

: partial darkness or obscurity within a part of space from which rays from a source of light are cut off by an interposed opaque body

b

: a dark outline or image on an X-ray photograph where the X-rays have been blocked by a radiopaque mass (as a tumor)

2

: a colorless or slightly pigmented or stained body (as a degenerate cell or empty membrane) only faintly visible under the microscope

shadow

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to perform shadow-casting on

freeze-dried and shadowed myosin molecules