Synonyms of shadow

shadow 1 of 2

noun

ˈsha-(ˌ)dō 

1

as in shade

partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays

the valley was in shadow

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shade
• blackness
• dusk
• gloom
• penumbra
• umbra
• dimness
• shadiness
• murkiness
• semidarkness
• obscurity
• gloominess
• duskiness
• cloudiness
• somberness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• light
• brightness
• illumination
• radiance
• luminosity
• luminance
• brilliance
• lightness
• effulgence
• incandescence
• lucidity
• luminousness
• radiancy
• lucidness

2

as in black

shadows plural a time or place of little or no light

lurking in the shadows

Synonyms & Similar Words

• black
• blackness
• dark
• night
• darkness
• twilight
• dusk
• gloom
• shade
• candlelight
• semidarkness
• umbra
• murk
• gloaming
• dimness
• paleness
• grayness
• mistiness
• midnight
• faintness
• dullness
• blackout
• somberness
• umbrage
• murkiness
• cloudiness
• haziness
• half-light
• gloominess
• shadiness
• brownout
• dimout
• fogginess

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• light
• glow
• glare
• brightness
• day
• daylight
• moonlight
• brilliance
• blaze
• lightness
• sunlight
• starlight
• sunshine
• radiance
• shine
• luminosity
• luminescence
• luminance
• effulgence
• radiancy
• incandescence
• luminousness

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

• trace
• relic
• ghost
• echo
• remnant
• vestige
• artifact
• reminder
• memento
• corpse
• rest
• afterimage
• remembrance
• remainder
• hangover
• aftertaste
• remain(s)
• residue
• residual
• balance
• leftover
• scrap
• leavings
• dreg(s)
• oddment

4

as in glimmer

a very small amount

not even a shadow of a doubt about the defendant's guilt

Synonyms & Similar Words

• glimmer
• speck
• shred
• hint
• splash
• sprinkling
• touch
• bit
• little
• trace
• ray
• particle
• tad
• lick
• spark
• shade
• sliver
• suspicion
• handful
• dab
• streak
• smell
• fleck
• spot
• smack
• ounce
• spatter
• scintilla
• crumb
• smidgen
• dram
• strain
• portion
• peanuts
• scruple
• pinch
• minimum
• grain
• mite
• ace
• nip
• bite
• drop
• dash
• drop in the bucket
• soupçon
• dose
• part
• dot
• fragment
• atom
• patch
• whit
• semblance
• skosh
• vestige
• molecule
• snap
• syllable
• mote
• section
• taste
• driblet
• iota
• modicum
• scattering
• tittle
• granule
• minim
• scrap
• nibble
• jot
• flake
• splinter
• morsel
• shard
• hoot
• smattering
• clipping
• flyspeck
• chip
• nubbin
• shiver
• tatter
• shaving
• paring
• smatter
• shot
• smithereens

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• mountain
• mass
• stack
• pile
• barrel
• wealth
• abundance
• quantity
• mess
• bushel
• loads
• deal
• bucket
• plenty
• lot
• raft
• bundle
• heaps
• profusion
• volume
• peck
• reams
• wad
• fistful
• excess
• surplus
• embarrassment
• overflow
• gobs
• lashings
• boatload
• slab
• much
• potful
• passel
• scads
• oodles
• bonanza
• chunk
• overabundance
• oversupply
• lump
• superfluity
• superabundance
• overage
• surfeit
• hunk
• overkill
• overmuch

5

as in ghost

the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people

rumors of a shadow haunting the castle

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ghost
• apparition
• spirit
• phantom
• specter
• wraith
• haunt
• vision
• phantasm
• sprite
• shade
• materialization
• vampire
• spook
• demon
• familiar spirit
• zombie
• poltergeist
• angel
• visitant
• bogey
• hant
• familiar
• double
• ghoul
• doppelgänger
• genie
• daimon
• fetch
• genius
• incubus
• manes
• imp
• jinni
• succubus
• devil
• shaitan
• lemures
• lamia
• cacodemon
• fiend

6

as in cloud

an overspreading element that produces an atmosphere of gloom

the husband's adulterous affair had cast over their marriage a shadow from which there was no escape

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cloud
• pall
• veil
• darkness
• fog
• haze
• shroud
• mantle
• mist
• midnight
• penumbra
• umbra
• night
• murk

shadow

2 of 2

verb

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

• chase
• track
• pursue
• tail
• trace
• follow
• course
• escort
• dog
• accompany
• trail
• run after
• tag
• hound
• run
• watch
• eye
• bird-dog
• seek
• hunt
• search (for)
• observe
• chaperone

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lead
• guide
• pilot
• head

2

as in to obscure

to make dark, dim, or indistinct

thickening clouds shadowed the countryside

Synonyms & Similar Words

• obscure
• blur
• darken
• cloud
• dim
• mist
• fog
• overshadow
• blacken
• shroud
• haze
• overcast
• shade
• becloud
• hide
• bedim
• eclipse
• overcloud
• conceal
• blear
• cover
• obliterate
• mask
• fuzz (up)
• curtain
• dislimn
• veil
• blot out
• befog
• screen
• cloak
• camouflage
• adumbrate
• disguise

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lighten
• light (up)
• illuminate
• brighten
• reveal
• expose
• illumine
• uncover
• unveil

3

as in to shade

to shelter (something) from light and heat

a pathway shadowed by a canopy of arching branches

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shade
• protect
• dim
• cover
• cloud
• dull
• overcast
• overshadow
• darken
• screen
• canopy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• light
• illuminate
• expose
• lighten

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shadow

Noun

While looking at the shadows, Crimmins allegedly maneuvered the grapple so that its shadow appeared to grab Lynch’s shadow. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Through first-person testimonies and family photos from California communities, the show confronts family separations, civil-liberties violations and the long shadow of deportation campaigns on Mexican American life. — Isa Farfan, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

Verb

Spend a full day shadowing a peer in another function without trying to contribute or solve anything. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Ukraine's Zelenskyy also said the country's armed forces had responded to Russian attacks on ships in the Black Sea by striking two military patrol boats and shadow fleet vessels. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026