shadowy

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

Synonyms of shadowy

• vague
• faint
• hazy

Examples of shadowy in a Sentence

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

Like Roy DeCarava, Smith worked most effectively in the dark, with silhouetted figures and shadowy spaces. —Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026

When the exploit was first disclosed, security researchers had only identified a few shadowy groups and surveillance vendors involved in the attack. —Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026

Louis Theroux is back with a deep dive into the shadowy online world of the manosphere. —Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 25 Mar. 2026

But there also are fears that the focus on Israel is the leading edge of an antisemitic fringe that has gained ground by portraying Jews as shadowy manipulators, echoing some of history's most hateful tropes. —ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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