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
The thriller is set in London’s shadowy underworld.
—
Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 May 2026
Back in the day, scandals typically were point-shaving schemes that involved shadowy figures bribing athletes.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
But there is also a world of more shadowy techniques – a whole history of hacking shenanigans going back nearly a century.
—Willa Rubin, NPR, 1 May 2026
Everything is framed by the set’s colossal, shadowy industrial space, dense with ladders and catwalks—the better for vampires to lurk.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shadowy
Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 May 2026
Back in the day, scandals typically were point-shaving schemes that involved shadowy figures bribing athletes.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
But there is also a world of more shadowy techniques – a whole history of hacking shenanigans going back nearly a century.
—Willa Rubin, NPR, 1 May 2026
Everything is framed by the set’s colossal, shadowy industrial space, dense with ladders and catwalks—the better for vampires to lurk.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shadowy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shadowy
Adjective
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Two Chinese defense companies have issued vague statements that together point to a possible new long-distance shooting record, although neither has provided technical specifications or independently verifiable data.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
-
Teenagers often respond better to concrete information than vague warnings.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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To inspire your planting design, here are some of the top native groundcovers experts recommend for sunny or shady spaces, and tips on how to use these plants to your advantage.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
12 May 2026
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When not flapping their wings, the chicks waddle around the nest, finding shady spots and playing with sticks and their dad's tail, the nonprofit said.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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Looking beyond the main structure captured by Webb, the galaxy’s spiral arms extend into a faint, wide ring of hydrogen gas stretching thousands of light-years.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
-
Meucci started seeing bright lights and feeling faint.—
Chris Hoffman,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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These small vegetables can thrive in a larger container, under the leaves of a taller tomato plant, or in a shaded area of the yard.—
Haniya Rae,
Martha Stewart,
14 May 2026
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Parking on the roof of the Universal Orlando garage in broad, blazing daylight, then passing two levels of empty, shaded parking slots.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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But its geological origins are hazy.—
Marnie Hunter,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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Even if my archive was unverifiable or incongruous, the hazy, contradictory landscape of Goodman’s life was the truth of her existence.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shadowy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shadowy. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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