shady

play

adjective \ ˈshā-dē \

Updated on: 11 Sep 2017

Definition of shady

shadier; shadiest

1 :producing or affording shade

2 :sheltered from the sun's rays

3 a :of questionable merit :uncertain, unreliable

b :disreputable

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shadily

play \ˈshā-ə-lē\ adverb

—

shadiness

play \ˈshā-dē-nəs\ noun

See shady defined for English-language learners

See shady defined for kids

Examples of shady in a Sentence

Their backyard is nice and shady.
I don't trust him. He seems like a pretty shady character.

Recent Examples of shady from the Web

But in the wake of Charlottesville and Friday’s incredibly shady pardon of the unusually racist (even by American standards) Joe Arpaio, the more accurate narrative may be that Trump is increasingly isolated.

— alex shephard, New Republic, "Is this the end of Rex Tillerson?," 28 Aug. 2017
Sandboxes A shady, damp sandbox after April showers is prime breeding ground for a whole fleet of mosquitoes.

— jamie wiebe, House Beautiful, "The Sneaky Places Mosquitoes Hide in Your Yard," 6 Aug. 2017
Read stories of how people have lost their lives on the buses, and how the journalists literally trailed the buses in an effort to expose their shady practices.

— max londberg, kansascity, "Morning Rush: Most party buses in KC are illegal; Senate rejects Obamacare repeal," 28 July 2017
Despite the shady behind-the-scenes dealing, the horses are taken into their contrada’s church to be blessed.

— rick steves, miamiherald, "Siena’s Palio: 500 years of history in 90 seconds," 14 July 2017
This one pairs nicely with savory sushi, or just a shady porch.

— tod caviness, Orlando Signature, "Shattered Pineapple Cocktail - Orlando Signature's July Drink of the Month," 14 July 2017
Late mornings are best spent reading under a shady palm, exploring the farmers' markets (fresh turmeric for days), or hiking along the oceanfront at Bathsheba.

— the healthyish team, Bon Appetit, "16 Dream Vacations You'll Want to Book Tomorrow," 10 July 2017
And as Donald Trump’s Hyatt rose, so too did the hidden hand of his attorney Roy Cohn, always there to help with the shady tax abatements, the zoning variances, the sweetheart deals, and the threats to those who might stand in the project’s way.

— marie brenner, The Hive, "How Donald Trump and Roy Cohn’s Ruthless Symbiosis Changed America," 4 July 2017
Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours, make time to rest in shady areas to give yourself a chance to recover and cool down.

— Fox News, "Avoid dehydration this summer with these simple tips," 28 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shady.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.