shadowy

adjective

ˈsha-dō-ē How to pronounce shadowy (audio)
Definition of shadowynext
1
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly the shadowy area between tough interrogation and torture

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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

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 shadowy His producers find a shadowy space between the headrush of cloud rap and the glitchiness of PC Music hyperpop, where everything sounds colossal and darkly palatial. — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026 Through stoicism, Nighthawks spins the dark side of American life as cool; its quiet menace is slick and alluring, and its lonesome, shadowy characters are iconic. — Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026 Try Jackson’s go-to hue, Aprés Gel Couleur in Dusky Dawn, which is offset by shadowy gray tones, or Sally Hansen Lavender Skies, which features a sheer purple base and twinkling particles of holographic shimmer. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 24 Oct. 2026 Set in the modern Scottish Highlands, Laird is an epic family saga in which a proud Scot, Drummoch (Branagh), defies a shadowy American billionaire, Peter Bergstrom (Sarsgaard), hellbent on buying up the glens. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shadowy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shadowy
  1. vague
  2. shady
  3. faint
  4. shaded
  5. hazy
Adjective
  • Hoffman denied the allegations at the time, issuing only a vague apology.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Both models can answer this clearly — a vague answer is the warning sign, not the model itself.
    — Burak Onal, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of vague
Adjective
  • Beyond litigation, the center runs the Florida Trident news site, which has published award-winning investigative journalism about everything from aging nuclear power plants to shady government contractors.
    — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Scientists figured it was stuck in a shady spot where sunlight couldn't reach its solar panels.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • As light mist obscured the far-off Chicago skyline, only the faint sounds of metal cranes clanging and construction vehicles beeping in the distance broke up the quiet morning at Park 566 in South Shore.
    — Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The brightest planets are 100,000 times fainter than their host stars, meaning spotting them is like observing a firefly hovering around a lighthouse.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of faint
Adjective
  • Dubai has built more than 557 kilometers of cycle tracks, with a goal of 1,000 kilometers by 2030, and the urban planning department is adding shaded walking routes to make exercise feasible for longer stretches of the year.
    — Scott Campbell, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Club Kid takes some surprising turns on the way to its delicately shaded ending.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of shaded
Adjective
  • This view shows the nebula as a brown pillar of dust embedded in a hazy, almost rainbow field of dust and gas.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Rather than drawing a precise border around the lips, the technique involves buffing pigment outward to create a hazy, almost airbrushed effect.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of hazy

Browse Nearby Words

shadows
shadowy
shady
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Cite this Entry

“Shadowy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shadowy. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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