shallow

1 of 3

adjective

shal·​low ˈsha-(ˌ)lō 

1

: having little depth

shallow water

2

: having little extension inward or backward

office buildings have taken the form of shallow slabs

—Lewis Mumford

3

a

: penetrating only the easily or quickly perceived

shallow generalizations

b

: lacking in depth of knowledge, thought, or feeling

a shallow demagogue

4

: displacing comparatively little air : weak

shallow breathing

shallowly

ˈsha-lō-lē 

-lə-lē

adverb

shallowness noun

shallow

2 of 3

verb

shallowed; shallowing; shallows

transitive verb

: to make shallow

intransitive verb

: to become shallow

shallow

3 of 3

noun

: a shallow place or area in a body of water

—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction

Synonyms

Adjective

• shoal
• superficial
• restricted
• smooth
• surface

Noun

• shoal
• bank
• ford
• bar

Choose the Right Synonym for shallow

superficial, shallow, cursory mean lacking in depth or solidity.

superficial implies a concern only with surface aspects or obvious features.

a superficial analysis of the problem

shallow is more generally derogatory in implying lack of depth in knowledge, reasoning, emotions, or character.

a light, shallow, and frivolous review

cursory suggests a lack of thoroughness or a neglect of details.

gave the letter only a cursory reading

Examples of shallow in a Sentence

Adjective

The shallow end of the pool is only three feet deep.

Her boyfriends were all shallow creeps.

She could only take shallow breaths.

His breathing became very shallow.

Noun

we waded through the shallows looking for tadpoles

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Mahomes had his head turned toward the opposite side of the field, so Rice sprinted into a shallow cross to meet him there — long enough to finally lock eyes. —Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2025

Some roads and low-lying property including parking lots, parks and lawns near the waterfront will experience shallow flooding. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 Oct. 2025

Verb

Aeration can be done with a core aerator that punches shallow holes in the surface, or with a shovel or a rototiller that turns the soil more deeply. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025

The idea is that Arj will see how superficial and shallow the good life really is, and be far more thankful for his own meager existence. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025

Noun

Saddling up with Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides means getting up close and personal with the Santa Ynez River, with up to four water crossings, as the horses step sure-footed through the shallows. —Maggie Downs, Travel + Leisure, 27 Oct. 2025

Weather and tides play a role, too; strand feeding is most often seen during low to mid-tide, when the shallows make hunting easier. —Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English schalowe; probably akin to Old English sceald shallow — more at skeleton

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1510, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1569, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shallow

• callow
• hallo
• hallow
• mallow
• palo
• sallow
• tallow
• caballo
• cavallo

Kids Definition

shallow

1 of 2 adjective

shal·​low ˈshal-ō 

1

: having little depth

shallow water

2

: showing little knowledge, thought, or feeling

shallowly adverb

shallowness noun

shallow

2 of 2 noun

: a shallow place or area in a body of water

—usually used in plural

Medical Definition

shallow

adjective

shal·​low ˈshal-(ˌ)ō, -ə(-w) 

: displacing comparatively little air

shallow breathing