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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in splashes
a very small amount
just a shade taller than his dance partner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in spirits
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people
spirits and shades haunting the night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shades
Julia Teti, Footwear News, 17 May 2026
Gary, meanwhile, is a creature of the city in slick suits and a Mercedes, a divorced former cop who now leverages his old connections for vague, lucrative work that may not ever cross over into the explicitly illicit, but that definitely involves shades of gray.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 17 May 2026
Kelce, meanwhile, wore a smart black pinstripe suit and a black T-shirt, paired with black shades and dress shoes.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026
Pour on the dressing, stir to combine, then spoon onto a wide serving dish and top with dollops of the yoghurt, swirling it to reveal the shades of red.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 16 May 2026
The tinted waterproofing created patchy shades of blue, according to the documents reported by the Times, with bubbles and small holes appearing in a layer designed to waterproof the Reflecting Pool.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Her go-to shades for the season?
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
Bright shades of pink, yellow and blue paint cover the walls.
—Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
Some begonias are grown for their striking, deeply veined foliage in shades of green, pink, purple, and white.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
So that's the thing that keeps us cooler, shades us.
—March 9, CBS News, 9 Mar. 2026
Basil shades the ground around tomatoes, conserving soil moisture.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 Feb. 2026
New Zealand actor Shand shades him with welcome nuance.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
The skin tone shades work as a complexion product or a powder, while the universal shades can be used to prep the skin.
—Essence Wiley, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
Tall grass also shades weed seedlings, preventing them from expanding and overtaking desirable grass plants, better than short turf.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 2025
The jersey has Sacramento emblazoned across the chest with a new palette of deep ink purple and bright violet accents, shades the team has never used before.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2025
But Slate also shades Nikki with such specific nuances, anxieties, and sadnesses that, even with a performance as powerful as Williams’s at its center, the show develops into a two-hander, something of a love story between the pair.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
Glittering in its design, the black panther was accentuated and highlighted by wisps of sheer fabric that flowed from the waistline of the dress to the arrival carpet, in shades of black and gray.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 17 May 2026
Gary, meanwhile, is a creature of the city in slick suits and a Mercedes, a divorced former cop who now leverages his old connections for vague, lucrative work that may not ever cross over into the explicitly illicit, but that definitely involves shades of gray.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 17 May 2026
Kelce, meanwhile, wore a smart black pinstripe suit and a black T-shirt, paired with black shades and dress shoes.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026
Pour on the dressing, stir to combine, then spoon onto a wide serving dish and top with dollops of the yoghurt, swirling it to reveal the shades of red.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 16 May 2026
The tinted waterproofing created patchy shades of blue, according to the documents reported by the Times, with bubbles and small holes appearing in a layer designed to waterproof the Reflecting Pool.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Her go-to shades for the season?
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
Bright shades of pink, yellow and blue paint cover the walls.
—Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
Some begonias are grown for their striking, deeply veined foliage in shades of green, pink, purple, and white.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
Verb
Unfortunately, Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) is invasive and quickly shades out other plants.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
So that's the thing that keeps us cooler, shades us.
—March 9, CBS News, 9 Mar. 2026
Basil shades the ground around tomatoes, conserving soil moisture.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 Feb. 2026
New Zealand actor Shand shades him with welcome nuance.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
The skin tone shades work as a complexion product or a powder, while the universal shades can be used to prep the skin.
—Essence Wiley, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
Tall grass also shades weed seedlings, preventing them from expanding and overtaking desirable grass plants, better than short turf.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 2025
The jersey has Sacramento emblazoned across the chest with a new palette of deep ink purple and bright violet accents, shades the team has never used before.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2025
But Slate also shades Nikki with such specific nuances, anxieties, and sadnesses that, even with a performance as powerful as Williams’s at its center, the show develops into a two-hander, something of a love story between the pair.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shades
Noun
-
This would be an entertaining video to show up on your doom scroll late at night, seeing how paint colors can be mixed and matched to present the color of your opponent, but two and a half minutes of this?—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
-
Anrabess Short-Sleeve A-Line Maxi Dress Available in 26 colors, this A-line dress is an easy choice for your upcoming summer getaway.—
Mia Huelsbeck,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Add a few more splashes of the reserved hot water.—
Karla Walsh,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
-
Perennials are a great way to spruce up your garden and add splashes of greenery to your landscape.—
Adrienne Jordan,
Martha Stewart,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Activist spirits might dismiss this emphasis on the purely sonic as a strategy of avoidance, although the likes of Feizabadi and Kourliandski can’t be accused of sitting idly by.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
There are flavored vodkas like strawberry and blueberry, agave spirits and gin.—
Emily M. Olson,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
While darker colors remained visible, they could be mistaken for dirt, debris, or shadows underwater.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
My driver slowed on purpose, timing the arrival for that late-afternoon light when the stucco warms and shadows sharpen.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This season, designers continue to favor vibrant hues, elevated button detailing and rich textures to add depth to office dressing, whether through tonal layering or unexpected pairings.—
Lauren Fisher,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
-
Some of the hundreds of available hues rival even my favorite nail-polish brands for their oddball names and vibrancy.—
Brett Berk,
Robb Report,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
From the summit of Monte Gambarogno, the towns hugging the shore of Lake Maggiore appear as tiny specks, dwarfed by the snowcapped southern Alps to the north.—
Lisa Kadane,
Travel + Leisure,
1 May 2026
-
Silvery or mottled patches on leaves, brown or distorted petal edges, dark specks (feces) or flower buds that fail to open are signs of thrips.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The museum site has been a paranormal hotbed for decades, with sightings of apparitions, security camera footage capturing items flying off shelves, as well as experiences from staff members and visitors.—
Gregory Harutunian,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
There certainly seem to be apparitions in this music, some presence apart from the four musicians and the throngs of fans, which is intensified by the visceral collision of so many sounds.—
Stephen M. Deusner,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
By planning ahead and putting the right policies in place, Florida and the PSC have created a model that both protects customers and supports responsible economic growth.—
Scott Bores,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
-
The group also hopes this pending purchase protects the house from demolition, something the property owner is pushing for even though a previous request to demolish was denied last year.—
Ashley Grams,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shades. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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