shades 1 of 2

plural of shade
1
as in colors
a property that becomes apparent when light falls on an object and by which things that are identical in form can be distinguished a lovely shade of blue

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2
3

shades

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of shade
as in shadows
to shelter (something) from light and heat the trees shaded us quite nicely from the noonday sun

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shades
Noun
For true inky blue options, Cracked Crowfriend and Habit Deep Sea are creamy, deep shades. — Loren Savini, Allure, 26 Oct. 2026 The sleeveless number sported a high boat neckline and consisted of three colored block panels in two distinct shades. — Erin Wisti, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026 Add sail shades, a pergola or an umbrella for hot afternoons. — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026 Packing over a billion vibrant shades powered by Quantum Dot technology and Dolby Vision HDR, every scene pops with stunning realism. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026 The three colors are mixed in different combinations and ratios, producing 16 different shades. — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 19 Oct. 2026 Downstairs is a spacious sleeping area that could also work as a gym or home office and benefits from an enormous skylight equipped with automatic blackout shades. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 19 Oct. 2026 Don’t forget the sleek black shades and pointed pumps, either. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026 Throughout her search, some shades came close, others not so much, but nothing was quite right. — Lindy Segal, Glamour, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
Aaron Rodgers seemingly shades his brother Jordan in a new interview. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026 Gabriel and Haaland are key men for their countries, too; whoever shades their personal duel will have a great chance of finishing on the winning team. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 5 July 2026 The thick debris mantle shades the ice, keeping it colder, similar to how ski areas have started covering their slopes with reflective blankets in summer to stave off melting. — Ashlesha Khatiwada, The Conversation, 1 July 2026 Morning sun is best, so keep these flowers on a porch that shades them from afternoon sun or provides dappled light. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 1 July 2026 Nieusma notes that calendula grows low to the ground, forming a ground cover that shades the soil and suppresses weeds. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 26 June 2026 The side has an awning held up by support bars, which shades the front doorway and mesh window. — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2026 Pulling the focal point to the base of the nails, this manicure shades over the cuticle border with metallic blue half-moons. — Sunnah Rasheed, InStyle, 25 May 2026 So that's the thing that keeps us cooler, shades us. — March 9, CBS News, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shades
Noun
  • Look for vibrant colors, feel whether an item is firm or soft and check that herbs smell fragrant.
    — Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Although denim can be produced in many colors, it is most associated with indigo blue.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The apron is built to take a beating—oils and rogue splashes barely register, practically rolling right off the surface.
    — Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Jazz fusion keyboardist George Duke, however, plays wild splashes of melody on an electric piano in the empty spaces between Waits’s lines.
    — Al Shipley, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The week will start dry and warmer than normal, but rain chances return Tuesday and could dampen Halloween spirits, with a 40% chance of rain Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • As the Commander of the crew, my main responsibilities were to make sure the crew was safe, in good health and spirits, getting along well and on top of their work.
    — Michaela Musilova, Space.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • An unusually tight security detail shadows Rodríguez’s every step.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 30 July 2026
  • While darker colors remained visible, they could be mistaken for dirt, debris, or shadows underwater.
    — Cody Godwin, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • And, to really throw everyone for a loop, ditch the heavy winter hues for ballerina pink, even adding a holographic finish if that ballerina has a rebellious streak.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Darker denim tones have really come into their own in the past year, and chocolate hues in particular are a fall fashion trend that shows no signs of slowing down in winter.
    — Georgia Trodd, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The source was generally in good condition, but mold spots and dense clusters of small white specks required careful treatment.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Breakouts can look like milder, painless white bumps or dark specks known as whiteheads and blackheads, or more painful red bumps and deeper cysts — a mark of cystic acne.
    — Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The location was a former sugarcane plantation notorious for cruelty, and accounts of apparitions in the water are a reminder of this history.
    — Marcus Librizzi, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
  • That is, until miraculous apparitions turn it into a place to be.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • The lawsuit argues the change violates the Administrative Procedure Act because it was adopted without explanation and the First Amendment, which protects lawyers' ability to advise people of their legal rights and seek prospective clients.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The arrangement does not grant Indigenous peoples ownership of the sea or seabed, but protects the area’s ancestral uses, including fishing, shellfish and seaweed gathering, as well as access to sacred sites and areas used for navigation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shades. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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