1
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
the shadowy area between tough interrogation and torture
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shady
protected from the sun's rays
a shadowy lane that is a mosaic of colors during the autumn foliage season
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shadowy
They’re owned by whatever shadowy people, right, who have their own agendas in whatever, who are using your money.
—
David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
Three years later, Hale is working for the Orphanage, a shadowy American intelligence agency that spies on all the less-shadowy American intelligence agencies — watching the watchers.
—Robert Lloyd, Twin Cities, 30 Dec. 2025
Governed by shadowy Pluto, this Water sign is quite polarizing, given its intensity and smoldering passion.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025
The footage featured stormy seas, the infamous Trojan Horse, and a tense exchange between Holland's Telemachus and a shadowy figure played by Jon Bernthal about Odysseus's fate.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shadowy
David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
Three years later, Hale is working for the Orphanage, a shadowy American intelligence agency that spies on all the less-shadowy American intelligence agencies — watching the watchers.
—Robert Lloyd, Twin Cities, 30 Dec. 2025
Governed by shadowy Pluto, this Water sign is quite polarizing, given its intensity and smoldering passion.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025
The footage featured stormy seas, the infamous Trojan Horse, and a tense exchange between Holland's Telemachus and a shadowy figure played by Jon Bernthal about Odysseus's fate.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shadowy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shadowy
Adjective
-
The championship standard isn’t volleyed about in vague terms.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Washington’s presence there, however, gave the delegates confidence to endow the presidency with vague and expansive powers.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The bill is meant to explicitly prohibit that kind of shady transaction.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Jan. 2026
-
As would giving Law an award for playing a shady restaurateur in Black Rabbit.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
These atoms scatter ultraviolet sunlight, forming a faint halo around Earth.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The constant food noise went from being a screaming voice in my head to a faint whisper.—
SELF Staff,
SELF,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Inside, light from shaded lamps and sconces glows amber-soft.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Notice that nobody is in both shaded areas—that is, there’s no one who didn’t get bigger leg muscles during at least one of the two training periods.—
Outside,
Outside,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Although Jerry Garcia cast the longest shadow across the legend of the Dead with his dark, complexly melodic songs and his hazy, frayed vocals, Weir’s shadow was more translucent, melodically lighter and rhythmically astute.—
A.D. Amorosi,
Variety,
11 Jan. 2026
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What the new blueprint looks like is still hazy, and there isn’t just one way anymore.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shadowy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shadowy. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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