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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

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

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 These are a great option for a shade garden or any shadowy parts of your yard. — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 5 Sep. 2026 Researchers at the wild cat center weren't able to document him on camera again until the summer of 2025, when a camera trap turned up a shadowy picture of the jaguar, his eyes glinting in the camera’s light. — Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 5 Sep. 2026 Before it was taken down, the shadowy dark web service called Nexus allowed virtually anybody to peruse identity documents of over 170 million people in the US and Canada. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026 Every shadowy corner of a piazza seems to hide a garotte-wielding assassin. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shadowy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shadowy
  1. vague
  2. shady
  3. faint
  4. shaded
  5. hazy
Adjective
  • The lawsuit demands a trial by jury and deems the decorum policy overly broad and vague.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The segment is naggingly vague with both of them showing love for Ye in spite of unlisted flaws.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of vague
Adjective
  • That combination can get past the skepticism many of us have learned to apply to obviously shady emails and suspicious websites.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • From Ryan and Myers to directors Adam Arkin, guest starring as a shady lawyer to boot, and Nina Lopez-Corrado, everybody on American Hostage deserves credit for introducing all these good elements.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • The backstory For most of my life, the Old Dutch Inn has been just a faint memory of kicking my legs from a bar stool, drinking a Shirley Temple next to my late grandmother, who would likely have been nursing a gin and tonic.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The outcry over data centers — warehouses that contain the hardware for powering artificial intelligence and other technology — was only a faint murmur when McCallister first saw the survey markers.
    — Justin Papp, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of faint
Adjective
  • The balloting was marred by violence and irregularities, including a deadly shooting, a bomb blast and pre-shaded ballots that force delayed voting in dozens of precincts.
    — Teresa Cerojano, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the town of Maluso on Basilan Island was put under the control of the Commission on Elections after pre-shaded ballots were found in 36 out of 68 precincts.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of shaded
Adjective
  • That entails having reachable but firm and clear expectations that both students and teachers can strive towards, not hazy objectives.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Ride Lonesome is amorphous, hazy, dappled, and almost impossibly pretty.
    — Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 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 26 Sep. 2026.

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