shady

adjective

ˈshā-dē How to pronounce shady (audio)
Definition of shadynext
1
as in shaded
protected from the sun's rays a lovely shady spot in the park that was pleasantly cool

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2
as in deceptive
given to or marked by cheating and deception a shady business deal

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3
as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged cited some shady statistics to back up his argument

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4
as in shifty
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions shady characters hanging out in the park after nightfall

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5
as in notorious
not respectable a courtesan who lived on the shady fringe of society

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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 shady Foamflower Foamflowers are North American native woodland plants that thrive in shady spots and areas with consistently damp, but not soggy, soil. — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 14 Oct. 2026 If weather permits, be sure to dine at Oliveto Restaurant & Lounge Bar, which sits beneath a shady grove of trees and overlooks the pool and vineyard. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026 The best way Ray can think of to do so is to tail her shady husband, Dom (Bobby Cannavale) — all the way into a sordid (but still vaguely family-friendly) web of deceit, murder, blackmail and gangland drama. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026 There are all sorts of sides to Venus, a lot of shady characters complicating things, and in pure Bogie-Bacall fashion Ray gets to sort them all out while dealing with this colorful group. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shady
  1. shaded
  2. deceptive
  3. questionable
  4. shifty
  5. notorious
  6. shadowy
  7. fraudulent
  8. dubious
Adjective
  • Occupying a particularly picturesque and secluded stretch of headland, where Aleppo pines drape rocky coves and the cerulean Mediterranean waves lick the similarly shaded horizon, the resort is the hospitality group’s first foray into the Balearics.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of shaded
Adjective
  • Supporters say licensing will give California the authority to act on any complaints, and to investigate and penalize companies for unfair or deceptive practices.
    — Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Esparza pushed back against the claim that the group was being deceptive.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of deceptive
Adjective
  • Puka Nacua shined despite entering the game questionable with a calf injury and Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combined for nearly 200 rushing yards.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • He was listed as questionable to return as he was examined in the injury tent.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of questionable
Adjective
  • The shifty Flowers opened the scoring with a 48-yard catch-and-run.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • In the Week 2 overtime thriller against the Indianapolis Colts, Johnson’s shifty play alongside Walker gave Kansas City what could quietly be one of the league’s best one-two punches in the backfield.
    — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of shifty
Adjective
  • Chicago has Back of the Yards, once adjacent to its notorious stockyards and not that far from Bubbly Creek, where methane and hydrogen sulfide gas once caused the South Fork of the Chicago River to make like a hot tub.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Disqualified is being presented at the MIA Market in Rome today as a TV drama inspired by one of real-life events surrounding Finland’s most notorious sporting scandals.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of notorious
Adjective
  • As a shadowy figure appeared behind a curtain, the actress widened her eyes in alarm, adding another playful nod to the movie's home invasion storyline.
    — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of shadowy
Adjective
  • Brazil's Supreme Court is investigating claims that Bolsonaro used a sports betting company to launder fraudulent deductions from government pensions paid to senior citizens.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Verify the breach notification before responding Scammers frequently use real data breaches as an excuse to send fraudulent emails.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • Needless to say, the Stanford experiment continues to be controversial for its dubious ethics and the equally dubious rigor of its methodology.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 29 Oct. 2026
  • That might sound like yet another dubious use of artificial technology, but anyone who's ever had to deal with different screw sizes has likely had the experience of trying a couple of different screwdrivers or bits to get the exact right fit.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of dubious

Browse Nearby Words

shadowy
shady
shaft
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Cite this Entry

“Shady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shady. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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