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
Synonyms
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 report traced scads of transactions through a shadowy web of financial accounts all allegedly under Özer’s control.
—
Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
The more individually controllable LEDs in the array, the more the backlight can improve the TV's contrast ratio and prevent halos and auras in the shadowy parts of high-contrast scenes.
—PCMAG, 1 Apr. 2024
Even the banks’ famous collections are—perhaps appropriately for the shadowy art world—totally opaque from an accounting perspective.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2024
As the operation unfolds, the film lifts a lid on the shadowy world of digital advertising and the role played by tech giants Google and Facebook, while also spotlighting the known and lesser-known victims of ad fraud and addressing its impact on the internet economy.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024
It’s all trussed up in the delectable package of Anglophilia, with its odes to shadowy libraries, pub trips, endless cups of tea, and the pedestrian ease of navigating London.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024
Her style is starker and more stylized, with bold blacks as backdrops or in shadowy figures in the foreground.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
But for a noir of isolation and concealment, about how the past can often feel inescapable, these shadowy dugouts — Travis’ motel, a church and one character’s lonely lair — are an atmospheric mother lode.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Through the use of sound (the storm lashes on throughout the night) and shadowy cinematography, a great sense of unease cloaks this taut bone-chiller, a chamber piece played to perfection by its two leads.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
The more individually controllable LEDs in the array, the more the backlight can improve the TV's contrast ratio and prevent halos and auras in the shadowy parts of high-contrast scenes.
—PCMAG, 1 Apr. 2024
Even the banks’ famous collections are—perhaps appropriately for the shadowy art world—totally opaque from an accounting perspective.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2024
As the operation unfolds, the film lifts a lid on the shadowy world of digital advertising and the role played by tech giants Google and Facebook, while also spotlighting the known and lesser-known victims of ad fraud and addressing its impact on the internet economy.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024
It’s all trussed up in the delectable package of Anglophilia, with its odes to shadowy libraries, pub trips, endless cups of tea, and the pedestrian ease of navigating London.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024
Her style is starker and more stylized, with bold blacks as backdrops or in shadowy figures in the foreground.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
But for a noir of isolation and concealment, about how the past can often feel inescapable, these shadowy dugouts — Travis’ motel, a church and one character’s lonely lair — are an atmospheric mother lode.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Through the use of sound (the storm lashes on throughout the night) and shadowy cinematography, a great sense of unease cloaks this taut bone-chiller, a chamber piece played to perfection by its two leads.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shadowy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of shadowy was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near shadowy
Cite this Entry
“Shadowy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shadowy. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
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
More from Merriam-Webster on shadowy
Nglish: Translation of shadowy for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of shadowy for Arabic Speakers
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