as in dark
a time or place of little or no light
lurking in the shadows
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in chases
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 blurs
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 shadows
Hannah Kerns, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026
Hong Kong — China’s top spy agency has come out of the shadows to warn that its young people are being duped by foreign forces into shirking hard work and prioritizing their individual emotions at the expense of national development.
—Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
Yet Perry, 61, has never truly been in the shadows.
—Pamela Chelin, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
In the shadows of the world’s most prestigious piano competition, a group of expert tuners spend a month striving to achieve perfect pitch—hoping that the eventual champion will perform on their instrument.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 May 2026
After a life on the sidelines, Mary breaks free from her family to embark on a journey of self-discovery outside of her sisters’ shadows.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 May 2026
In short, immigration policy should bring people out of the shadows, strengthen our economy, and reflect basic human dignity while maintaining an orderly and lawful process.
—Linh Tat, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Some may have wondered what shadows or secrets lay beneath the exuberant charm, and that is part of what drives Sara Wheeler’s compendious and at times skeptical biography.
—Pico Iyer, Air Mail, 2 May 2026
In smaller rooms, harsh or overly bright lighting can feel clinical, emphasizing tight corners and casting unflattering shadows.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 1 May 2026
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
The corridor before him seems never-ending, extending miles, shadows short and dark, shadows light and long.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
Through it all, Kate and William balanced expanding royal duties with school runs and family life, even as illness still shadows the monarchy.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025
However, Quinyon Mitchell has taken a step up this season and shadows the NFL’s best receiver.
—Zach Berman, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
If Gonzalez shadows Panthers rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina’s leading receiver, their battle could swing critical moments and perhaps the game.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 28 Sep. 2025
The movie’s ensemble also includes Alicia Vikander, Jeffrey Wright, and Tom Sturridge, but this is said to be Dano’s show, with Law’s Putin a malevolent presence who shadows his every move.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
Jules’ colorful shadows - Season 1, Episode 5 One of the most artistic makeup looks from season 1, Jules’ (Hunter Schafer) colorful eyelids look a bit like an abstract painting.
—Hannah Kerns, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026
Hong Kong — China’s top spy agency has come out of the shadows to warn that its young people are being duped by foreign forces into shirking hard work and prioritizing their individual emotions at the expense of national development.
—Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
Yet Perry, 61, has never truly been in the shadows.
—Pamela Chelin, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
In the shadows of the world’s most prestigious piano competition, a group of expert tuners spend a month striving to achieve perfect pitch—hoping that the eventual champion will perform on their instrument.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 May 2026
After a life on the sidelines, Mary breaks free from her family to embark on a journey of self-discovery outside of her sisters’ shadows.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 May 2026
In short, immigration policy should bring people out of the shadows, strengthen our economy, and reflect basic human dignity while maintaining an orderly and lawful process.
—Linh Tat, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Some may have wondered what shadows or secrets lay beneath the exuberant charm, and that is part of what drives Sara Wheeler’s compendious and at times skeptical biography.
—Pico Iyer, Air Mail, 2 May 2026
In smaller rooms, harsh or overly bright lighting can feel clinical, emphasizing tight corners and casting unflattering shadows.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 1 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
The corridor before him seems never-ending, extending miles, shadows short and dark, shadows light and long.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
Through it all, Kate and William balanced expanding royal duties with school runs and family life, even as illness still shadows the monarchy.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025
However, Quinyon Mitchell has taken a step up this season and shadows the NFL’s best receiver.
—Zach Berman, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
If Gonzalez shadows Panthers rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina’s leading receiver, their battle could swing critical moments and perhaps the game.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 28 Sep. 2025
The movie’s ensemble also includes Alicia Vikander, Jeffrey Wright, and Tom Sturridge, but this is said to be Dano’s show, with Law’s Putin a malevolent presence who shadows his every move.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shadows
Noun
-
Guests can reserve a time to make their own art too and choose to make a traditional, glow-in-the-dark, or pumpkin ornament.—
Erin Gifford,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
-
Even the resort's concrete pathways serve the mission—instead of traditional lights, they are bordered by the faint green and blue light of glow-in-the-dark pebbles.—
Michael d'Estries,
Travel + Leisure,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Video of the incident shows the boy trying to scramble up the bank to safety as the beaver chases him before biting him on the thigh.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
-
In the Ring video, a person dressed in black pants and a gray T-shirt, with a gray sweatshirt draped over his shoulder, chases two dogs down a residential street, spraying them with pellets from what looks like a gel gun.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Open-source blurs the line between engineering and creative work.—
Kshitij Dixit,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
What began as a documentary about the criminal underworld evolved into a fictional – and disturbing – portrait that blurs the line between reality and imagination.—
Roberto Prieto,
Variety,
13 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
Noun
-
Emerging from the darkness was Fabian Aichner.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
Thus begins their quest down a blood-red road into their father’s heart of darkness, which takes them from what seems to be the Deep South to the Western desert.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The lawsuit cites a New York Times story in which a real estate consultant who tracks local trends in the Miami condo market, Peter Zalewski, estimated the property could sell for at least $360 million.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
Putting stones with that je ne sais quoi front and center here tracks back to the jeweler’s focus on building emotional connections.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
This narrative, reliably recycled by politicians seeking reelection and economists insulated from everyday pressures, obscures a more complicated reality.—
Gene Ludwig,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
-
In many locations, the brightness of artificial light sources obscures the beauty of the night sky.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
6 May 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
“Shadows.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shadows. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
