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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shadowy
These autocrats have watched and learned as Erdoğan has scapegoated various rival groups in his country, branding them shadowy forces unleashed by the American philanthropist George Soros.
—
Kaya Genç, The Dial, 3 Feb. 2026
As disturbing clues emerge and a shadowy figure traps Whitney in a deadly game of survival, mother and daughter are thrust onto parallel paths of terror.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
That’s not the only documentation of this shadowy data collection.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026
Rahal emerges from his desk, tall, with a shadowy scruff, tousled brown locks, and piercing blue eyes.
—Sophia Herring, Vanity Fair, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shadowy
Kaya Genç, The Dial, 3 Feb. 2026
As disturbing clues emerge and a shadowy figure traps Whitney in a deadly game of survival, mother and daughter are thrust onto parallel paths of terror.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
That’s not the only documentation of this shadowy data collection.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026
Rahal emerges from his desk, tall, with a shadowy scruff, tousled brown locks, and piercing blue eyes.
—Sophia Herring, Vanity Fair, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shadowy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shadowy
Adjective
-
The president has also been intentionally vague about his ultimate goal with Iran.—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
21 Feb. 2026
-
These aren’t just vague wellness notions.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
What, is something shady happening?—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Richards counterattacked Mattox, hinting he’d been involved in shady deals and challenging his ethics and finances.—
Gromer Jeffers Jr,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Hearing the faint sirens of the white police officers who have been monitoring the area for no real reason, Kid attempts to blend into the party by grabbing the mic of the bored DJ—played by Parliament-Funkadelic’s George Clinton—to freestyle.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
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But Charli ends the album with a sense of faint dawn creeping in against the gloom.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Backed by an eight-piece string section, Jones, in a flowing white outfit with pops of red, blue and green ‒ inspired by Whitney Houston's 1991 Super Bowl look ‒ along with a white headband, closed her shaded eyes throughout the moving song.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
-
After days of bitter cold, temperatures in Oxford reached 70 degrees Friday, but chunks of ice still littered the ground in shaded areas.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In the public consciousness, these acts of violence were swept away because of the pandemic, and any prior events have faded into a hazy dream of American apathy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Plans could blur as the impressionable Moon merges with nebulous Neptune in your 11th House of Friendship and Community, bringing welcome compassion but also frustratingly hazy expectations.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shadowy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shadowy. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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