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

Observing tips The lunar disk is entirely bereft of shadows during the full moon phase, making this the perfect time to trace the outline of lunar maria — where lava flows filled colossal impact basins billions of years ago before hardening to form sweeping basaltic plains. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 1 May 2026

The Harrison County Health Department notes dark clothing resembles the shadows where mosquitoes hide. —Ryan Brennan may 1, Sacbee.com, 1 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

The Harrison County Health Department notes dark clothing resembles the shadows mosquitoes hide in. —Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026

On May 14, the sun at noon will be directly overhead, which means that for a few moments, vertically standing objects—telephone poles, flagpoles, people—will not cast any shadows. —Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 30 Apr. 2026

Colm Hogan’s cinematography has handsome, rich shadows. —Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026

But as the years and the distance cast shadows and doubt, confidences and sympathies turn into surprising revelations. —Danielle Parker, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026

These robot systems possess the digital instincts to interpret shifting shadows, navigate unpredictable debris, and make decisions in pitch-black environments — turning hazardous isolation into an accessible workspace. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 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