shadowbox
verb
shad·ow·box
ˈsha-dō-ˌbäks 
-də-ˌbäks
shadowboxed; shadowboxing; shadowboxes
: to box with an imaginary opponent especially as a form of training
Examples of shadowbox in a Sentence
He was shadowboxing to stay in shape.
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead of Gladiators fighting for our entertainment, the emperors are shadowboxing before an angry populace.
—
Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Humanoid robots shadowboxed, danced and pretended to run small shops.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2026
In 2025, the four tournaments paid out over $285 million between them, while their leaders spent the year shadowboxing with the players who make their events unmissable, whose gravity pulls in the broadcast deals and sponsorships, with their own dollar signs and zeroes.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Vie finds Doja’s typically unorthodox vocals shadowboxing with the showy melisma of the classics.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
The public has no understanding of how the algorithms really work—they’re company secrets—so participants are constantly shadowboxing the machine, turning conversation into a constant A/B test to see what catches on.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Rubio and Wang have been shadowboxing during the two-day ASEAN meeting, with each touting the benefits of their partnership to Southeast Asian nations.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 July 2025
But both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum are shadowboxing, pulling back from direct conflict between the two $2 trillion economies inextricably linked to — and forced to negotiate with — the $30 trillion behemoth.
—Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 7 Dec. 2024
His leadership and upbeat energy have been part of each practice, from shadowboxing Parsons to yelling at the offense and coaching up defenders.
—Saad Yousuf, The Athletic, 31 July 2024
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Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Humanoid robots shadowboxed, danced and pretended to run small shops.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2026
In 2025, the four tournaments paid out over $285 million between them, while their leaders spent the year shadowboxing with the players who make their events unmissable, whose gravity pulls in the broadcast deals and sponsorships, with their own dollar signs and zeroes.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Vie finds Doja’s typically unorthodox vocals shadowboxing with the showy melisma of the classics.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
The public has no understanding of how the algorithms really work—they’re company secrets—so participants are constantly shadowboxing the machine, turning conversation into a constant A/B test to see what catches on.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Rubio and Wang have been shadowboxing during the two-day ASEAN meeting, with each touting the benefits of their partnership to Southeast Asian nations.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 July 2025
But both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum are shadowboxing, pulling back from direct conflict between the two $2 trillion economies inextricably linked to — and forced to negotiate with — the $30 trillion behemoth.
—Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 7 Dec. 2024
His leadership and upbeat energy have been part of each practice, from shadowboxing Parsons to yelling at the offense and coaching up defenders.
—Saad Yousuf, The Athletic, 31 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Shadowbox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shadowbox. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shadowbox
verb
shad·ow·box
ˈshad-ō-ˌbäks
: to box with an imaginary opponent as a form of training
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