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
b
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
Julia Fox morphed into a Gothic doll for Marc Jacobs’ fall 2025 ready-to-wear fashion presentation in New York City on Monday night, with jet-black extensions and shadowy eyes.
—
Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
Ticket Information Brompton Cemetery Catacombs Hidden beneath one of London’s most atmospheric Victorian cemeteries lie the Brompton Catacombs — a shadowy underworld of vaulted chambers and crypts.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
In the new track's accompanying music video, Capaldi can be seen sitting alone in a shadowy room from a distance, picking away at an acoustic guitar.
—Chris Barilla, People.com, 27 June 2025
In that case, shadowy middlemen dispensed bribes of $200 to $250 per account to Bank of America employees who overrode internal compliance systems to open accounts for overseas Chinese citizens who weren’t physically present at the branch to open the accounts, in violation of the bank’s rules.
—Cezary Podkul, ProPublica, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shadowy
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Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
Ticket Information Brompton Cemetery Catacombs Hidden beneath one of London’s most atmospheric Victorian cemeteries lie the Brompton Catacombs — a shadowy underworld of vaulted chambers and crypts.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
In the new track's accompanying music video, Capaldi can be seen sitting alone in a shadowy room from a distance, picking away at an acoustic guitar.
—Chris Barilla, People.com, 27 June 2025
In that case, shadowy middlemen dispensed bribes of $200 to $250 per account to Bank of America employees who overrode internal compliance systems to open accounts for overseas Chinese citizens who weren’t physically present at the branch to open the accounts, in violation of the bank’s rules.
—Cezary Podkul, ProPublica, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shadowy
Cite this Entry
“Shadowy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shadowy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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