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

The digital fixer, who lives outside Austin, has been compared to the shadowy entertainment industry problem-solver of Showtime’s Ray Donovan. —Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026

For many Iranians, he has long been viewed as a shadowy figure operating behind the scenes of Iranian politics. —Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026

Polgar keeps the action steady and creates some film noir tableaux on the shadowy set. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026

The documentary Hell’s Army, directed by Richard Rowley, examines the rise of this shadowy group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an ex-con turned oligarch who operated with the apparent blessing of Vladimir Putin – at least for a time. —Matthew Carey, Deadline, 10 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