Synonyms of shadows

shadows 1 of 2

noun

plural of shadow

as in dark

a time or place of little or no light

lurking in the shadows

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

shadows

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of shadow

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

• chases
• tracks
• pursues
• traces
• escorts
• tails
• trails
• follows
• dogs
• runs after
• courses
• accompanies
• tags
• hounds
• bird-dogs
• eyes
• watches
• runs
• hunts
• seeks
• searches (for)
• chaperones
• observes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• leads
• guides
• pilots
• heads

2

as in blurs

to make dark, dim, or indistinct

thickening clouds shadowed the countryside

Synonyms & Similar Words

• blurs
• obscures
• darkens
• clouds
• blackens
• shrouds
• mists
• dims
• hazes
• overshadows
• fogs
• shades
• overcasts
• beclouds
• bedims
• overclouds
• fuzzes (up)
• hides
• befogs
• conceals
• dislimns
• eclipses
• masks
• blears
• curtains
• covers
• obliterates
• adumbrates
• cloaks
• screens
• camouflages
• blots out
• veils
• disguises

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• illuminates
• lights (up)
• reveals
• brightens
• illumines
• exposes
• lightens
• uncovers
• unveils

3

as in shades

to shelter (something) from light and heat

a pathway shadowed by a canopy of arching branches

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shades
• protects
• clouds
• covers
• dims
• overshadows
• darkens
• dulls
• overcasts
• screens
• canopies

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lights
• illuminates
• exposes
• lightens

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shadows

Noun

Serra’s immersive event, a rapture of colors and shadows, pays fittingly grandiose tribute to an emissary of a legendary cinematic era. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026

The regulatory framework — not the smell itself — determines whether cannabis use happens in the open under reasonable rules or in the shadows with none at all. — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

The shimmers are designed to be worn on their own or with the solid shadows. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 10 Aug. 2026

For the rest, the military has influenced governments from the shadows, propping up civilian governments and tearing them down as needed. — Hasan Ali, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Aug. 2026

People can see projections of the eclipse using a tool like a pinhole projector with a small opening or colander, showing shadows of the eclipse on the ground. — Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 9 Aug. 2026

That’s largely been the driving force behind Alexander bringing back New Radicals, which has been slowly emerging from the shadows over the past few years. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026

During an eclipse, there are environmental changes such as shifting light and shadows and can be unusual animal behavior. — Lucie McCormick, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026

Why not also try to capture the moon using a DSLR camera and a telephoto lens in the weeks that follow and track how the shifting shadows alter its appearance? — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Verb

An unusually tight security detail shadows Rodríguez’s every step. — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 30 July 2026

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