1
as in shaded
protected from the sun's rays
a lovely shady spot in the park that was pleasantly cool
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deceptive
given to or marked by cheating and deception
a shady business deal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in notorious
not respectable
a courtesan who lived on the shady fringe of society
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shady
The bad actors ranged from shady business owners to pseudo tax preparers to internet-type criminals, according to law enforcement officials.
—
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 6 June 2025
As Seabrook discovers, the operation’s iconic logo and name served as a wholesome public-facing front for the family’s lucrative but frequently shady business dealings, which required social and political savvy more than knowledge of the weather.
—Cree Lefavour, New York Times, 30 May 2025
All of my kids have loved the playground over the years, which isn’t huge but is shady and well-designed.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2025
Patti LuPone had a shady reaction to questions about Audra McDonald in a new interview.
—Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shady
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 6 June 2025
As Seabrook discovers, the operation’s iconic logo and name served as a wholesome public-facing front for the family’s lucrative but frequently shady business dealings, which required social and political savvy more than knowledge of the weather.
—Cree Lefavour, New York Times, 30 May 2025
All of my kids have loved the playground over the years, which isn’t huge but is shady and well-designed.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2025
Patti LuPone had a shady reaction to questions about Audra McDonald in a new interview.
—Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shady
Adjective
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The quest to build human-level AI agents using techniques known to produce deceptive tendencies, Bengio says, is comparable to a car speeding down a narrow mountain road, with steep cliffs on either side, and thick fog obscuring the path ahead.—
Harry Booth,
Time,
3 June 2025
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Last year, the Biden administration's Transportation Department opened an inquiry ordering American, Delta Air Lines, Southwest and United to provide records and submit reports to ensure consumers do not face unfair, deceptive, or anticompetitive practices.—
David Shepardson,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Technical guardrails help ensure agents stay within scope and flag questionable output for human review.—
Spencer Dorn,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to LA, and, under a questionable legal basis, the Secretary of Defense has put Marines at Camp Pendleton on alert.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Claire, who blows in and out of Kate’s life, turns up one night pleading for help and telling tales about an accident involving her shifty boyfriend Ryan (Edmund Donovan).—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
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By associating vibes with AI, doing so is an outrageous and shifty means of subliminally implying that AI is mysterious, perhaps bordering on possessing sentience.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
5 May 2025
Adjective
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Target’s dresses are notorious for selling out, so make sure to shop your favorites early in order to score your preferred size, color, and pattern.—
Carly Totten,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 June 2025
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Unfortunately, it’s become a notorious form of cybercrime that causes complete financial devastation for its victims.—
Jeremy H. Gottschalk,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Financial support, in the form of a shadowy investment club that purports to lift up and empower women.—
Dwyer Murphy
June 6,
Literary Hub,
6 June 2025
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Resilience was targeting the top of the moon, a less forbidding place than the shadowy bottom.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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If someone submits a fraudulent claim, instead of losing insurance, their personal trust score would be lowered, which would impact insurance costs.—
Robert Clark,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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That’s where hundreds of thousands of Wells Fargo employees opened millions of unauthorized or fraudulent accounts and other financial products, from 2002 to 2016, to meet excessive sales goals.—
Catherine Muccigrosso,
Charlotte Observer,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Thrilling upset launches unconventional Finals: Oklahoma City and Indiana both chasing their first NBA championship made for a dubious national ratings sell, and the Knicks’ sudden firing of coach Tom Thibodeau glommed attention as the Finals began.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2025
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Their once-close relationship came under scrutiny again on Thursday when billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk alleged the president was a party to Epstein’s dubious behavior.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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Opening April 8, 2026 A blind date spirals spectacularly off the rails in Becky Shaw, the razor-sharp dark comedy from two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Gina Gionfriddo.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
3 June 2025
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Dark Universe is home to one of the greatest dark rides of all time.—
Kimberly Zapata,
Parents,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shady. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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