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
Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2026
This has a light-medium tan pigment that is quite sheer and therefore can adapt easily to many but not all complexion shades.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 7 June 2026
Gray and White Marble Island Bring in pale tones of peach and light blue to play up the undertones of warmer white and gray shades.
—Lauren Jones, The Spruce, 6 June 2026
The singer also wore white over-the-knee socks, black pumps, black shades and a black handbag.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
Black and White Photos When highlighting your walls with art, black-and-white imagery may seem boring, but there are many shades between black and white that add nuance to colorless photography.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
The rooms 77 villas, all spacious, sleek and polished in varying shades of oak.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
The collection also features a $38 pearlescent glow balm in two shades, which will be a permanent addition to the Lisa Eldridge lineup.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 31 May 2026
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 30 May 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
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
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
One of the island’s most iconic (and also inherently romantic) experiences is closing out the day in Mallory Square or aboard a catamaran cruise as the sky turns shades of pink and orange over the Gulf.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2026
This has a light-medium tan pigment that is quite sheer and therefore can adapt easily to many but not all complexion shades.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 7 June 2026
Gray and White Marble Island Bring in pale tones of peach and light blue to play up the undertones of warmer white and gray shades.
—Lauren Jones, The Spruce, 6 June 2026
The singer also wore white over-the-knee socks, black pumps, black shades and a black handbag.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
Black and White Photos When highlighting your walls with art, black-and-white imagery may seem boring, but there are many shades between black and white that add nuance to colorless photography.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
The rooms 77 villas, all spacious, sleek and polished in varying shades of oak.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
The collection also features a $38 pearlescent glow balm in two shades, which will be a permanent addition to the Lisa Eldridge lineup.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 31 May 2026
Verb
Pruning And Thinning Peach Trees Peaches develop large, dense foliage that shades the interior branches.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 30 May 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
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
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
-
In 2021, the Giants became the first team to incorporate Pride colors into their on-field uniform for their Pride game.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
-
Fox’s studio coverage will also be in HDR for the first time, bringing a wider range of colors.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
The lines are clean and sharp, the palette muted, approaching grayscale (which makes later splashes of color, like in the gaudy decor of a talk show or the blood-rust-red of a post-apocalyptic sky, pop even more), and motion within the frame is kept to a minimum.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
Hockney’s paintings of pool water and splashes demonstrated his obsession with capturing elemental natural phenomena, even in suburban settings.—
Mark Rozzo,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Call it fate or family tree, Anna Prillaman was born into the craft and culture of spirits.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
And getting the word out that everybody needs to watch and celebrate because the show is going to lift your spirits and bring a smile to your face.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
7 June 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
-
In the primary bathroom, Italian art students hand-painted the mirrors with similarly metallic hues, which complement the brass basins hammered by a Lebanese artist.—
Nicolas Milon,
Architectural Digest,
13 June 2026
-
Northern Lights illuminate the night sky with vivid purple and green hues above a distant cityscape following a strong solar storm coinciding with the spring equinox in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States, on March 20, 2026.—
Antonio Pequeño IV,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
This looks like tiny black or reddish-brown specks that resemble coffee grounds.—
Emily Hayes,
Martha Stewart,
9 June 2026
-
But such interludes add up to small specks of stormclouds in the show’s otherwise sunny skies.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
2 June 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
-
That's because federal law generally protects Social Security retirement, disability and survivor benefits from garnishment by most private creditors.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
-
Texas also protects a variety of other wildlife, including bats, hawks, owls, whooping cranes and all species of sea turtles, according to TPWD.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shades. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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