1
as in shade
partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays
the valley was in shadow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in black
shadows plural
a time or place of little or no light
lurking in the shadows
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in trace
a tiny often physical indication of something lost or vanished
a run-down mansion that is only a shadow of its former glory
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in glimmer
a very small amount
not even a shadow of a doubt about the defendant's guilt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in apparition
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people
rumors of a shadow haunting the castle
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to chase
to go after or on the track of
shadowing the suspect to see what he was up to
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
thickening clouds shadowed the countryside
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 shadow
Michael Barnhart, Fortune, 3 July 2025
Punxsutawney Phil and Bee Cave Bob both saw their shadows on Groundhog Day, indicating lingering winter weather.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 June 2025
The Italian Ferretti Group was the setting for a spy-vs-spy scenario that reportedly included private detectives shadowing an executive of the Italian builder’s primary Chinese investor and recording devices hidden in several offices, according to Bloomberg.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shadow
Noun
The latest and ongoing government actions have pushed the DPRK’s shadow workforce into the spotlight.
—Michael Barnhart, Fortune, 3 July 2025
Punxsutawney Phil and Bee Cave Bob both saw their shadows on Groundhog Day, indicating lingering winter weather.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Verb
In both films, a woman’s romantic relationship with a man is shadowed by the arrival of a man with whom she’d previously been involved.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 June 2025
The Italian Ferretti Group was the setting for a spy-vs-spy scenario that reportedly included private detectives shadowing an executive of the Italian builder’s primary Chinese investor and recording devices hidden in several offices, according to Bloomberg.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shadow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shadow
Noun
-
Butter-yellow-stripe nails Butter yellow is still an inescapable shade this summer, so naturally butter-yellow stripes are in too.—
Dominic Cadogan,
Glamour,
9 July 2025
-
The wash shown here, dubbed New Heyburn, looks a lot like the shade Kaling has been reaching for — but there are 30 colors to choose from if this blue hue isn’t your speed.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
People.com,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Flaunt this fun, floral style, or opt for their best-selling classic black.—
Meg Donohue,
Town & Country,
31 Jan. 2023
-
Take your pick from black to mocha to crisp, winter white.—
Taylor Jean Stephan,
Peoplemag,
31 Jan. 2023
Noun
-
The ink spool could contain traces of the last words Lin or his daughter typed on the machine — meaning perhaps the inventor's own words are in his magical machine too.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
5 July 2025
-
Soil, too, collects more than trace amounts of perchlorates, along with metals.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
4 July 2025
Noun
-
Princess Anne topped the surprise style with the diamond Festoon Tiara, adding some glimmer with the sparkler she's owned since 1973.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
10 July 2025
-
Ramos has been a glimmer of hope offensively, although his defense has room for improvement.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
4 July 2025
Noun
-
If the humor clicks with you, there’s joy to be had in accidentally setting yourself on fire over and over again while being chased by a Slenderman-like apparition made of Post-Its.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
19 June 2025
-
Venus reaches its point of greatest western elongation on June 1, at which time the dazzling 'morning star' will be at its most distant point from the sun in Earth's sky during its pre-dawn apparition.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
31 May 2025
Noun
-
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 July 2025
-
There are both federal regulations and state regulations for cloud seeding and other forms of weather modification.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
12 July 2025
Verb
-
Again, don’t run: Bears will chase you, just like a dog would.—
Mike Stunson
July 14,
Kansas City Star,
14 July 2025
-
And that’s what all three of these companies are chasing: trust, at scale.—
Olumuyiwa Olowogboyega,
semafor.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
But this fake overlay simply obscures the app as it is being attacked in the background.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
Several of the changes that House Republicans obscured — and lamented, at turns — on Wednesday came thanks to the Senate’s nonpartisan parliamentarian, a referee who has similarly trimmed Democratic ambitions in the past.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shadow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shadow. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share