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

But this season, the biggest mystery may be Emily herself – when secrets from her past and the shadowy group known as CH1M3RA resurface, leading to revelations and a shocking finale that promises to change everything. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Dec. 2025

Venus enters Sagittarius on November 30th, and suddenly the collective mood shifts from Scorpio’s shadowy introspection to something brighter, bolder, more curious, and admittedly more chaotic. —Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Nov. 2025

In the fantasy world of The Mighty Nein, an archmage working for a corrupt empire has stolen a sacred magical relic of untold power from a shadowy rival kingdom. —James Grebey, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2025

During one of those encounters, the Mind Flayer pumps some sort of dust into his body, which in turn allows the shadowy creature to increasingly infiltrate Will. —Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2025

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