shallow

1 of 3

adjective

shal·​low ˈsha-(ˌ)lō How to pronounce shallow (audio)
1
: having little depth
shallow water
2
: having little extension inward or backward
office buildings have taken the form of shallow slabsLewis 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 How to pronounce shallow (audio)
-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
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Plans would likely include increasing supplemental food supply to the fish, which typically feed on algae, invertebrates and other micro-organisms found on a shallow rock shelf within the pool. Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024 Place red and green sanding sugar in 2 separate large shallow dishes. Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
With two Baltimore Orioles on in the ninth, Henderson lifted a ball to shallow left field. Tim Britton, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024 From the small visitor center, a trail leads to shallow ponds where three flamingo species hatch and raise their chicks. Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Noun
There’s something a little shallow about this show’s depiction of competing positive and negative influences, the latter of which will inevitably win out. Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024 According to a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment, researchers found that shallow cumulus clouds will dissipate when only a portion of the sun is obscured during the solar eclipse and won't reappear until after the event. Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 3 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shallow 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of shallow was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near shallow

Cite this Entry

“Shallow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shallow. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

shallow

1 of 2 adjective
shal·​low ˈshal-ō How to pronounce shallow (audio)
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
: displacing comparatively little air
shallow breathing

More from Merriam-Webster on shallow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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