1
as in shaded
protected from the sun's rays
a lovely shady spot in the park that was pleasantly cool
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in shifty
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions
shady characters hanging out in the park after nightfall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in notorious
not respectable
a courtesan who lived on the shady fringe of society
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 shady
Past grand juries have issued reports raising awareness of shady land deals, questionable legislative appropriations and officials slow-walking public records requests.
—
Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
The mushrooms are situated about 15 feet above a creek in what used to be hardwoods, but is now a shady, gravely area of mostly secondary-growth with a small cluster of trees.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 25 Mar. 2026
The bill would force bettors to cough up any profits from shady transactions along with a 10% fine, according to Politico, which first reported the new legislation.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
The local immigrant community first began organizing after Hurricane Katrina, most often to confront shady building contractors who were stiffing their undocumented employees.
—Daniel Brook, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shady
Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
The mushrooms are situated about 15 feet above a creek in what used to be hardwoods, but is now a shady, gravely area of mostly secondary-growth with a small cluster of trees.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 25 Mar. 2026
The bill would force bettors to cough up any profits from shady transactions along with a 10% fine, according to Politico, which first reported the new legislation.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
The local immigrant community first began organizing after Hurricane Katrina, most often to confront shady building contractors who were stiffing their undocumented employees.
—Daniel Brook, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shady
Adjective
-
Globetrotting media types sip espressos while working at their laptops on the shaded outdoor terrace.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Exploring cities like Rome, Madrid, and Athens now means walking through shaded canyons and subterranean malls that feel like airport terminals.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Also, offering free samples is deceptive marketing, due to evidence that 7-OH is addictive.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Set in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the grandiosity of MoMA is deceptive.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
However merry the mayhem of the movie dorm on Broadway, the sustainability of it all was starting to seem questionable.—
Lena Dunham,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Initially listed as questionable for the game with back spasms, Norman Powell on Sunday morning was downgraded to out because of an upper respiratory illness.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The prominence of perimenopause as a long, frightening stage in the physical and emotional rollercoaster caused by our shifty hormones is being shaped by influencers, advocates, and doctors who are not only diseasifying midlife but also invariably selling some product or service to calm the storm.—
Patricia Bencivenga,
STAT,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Metchie is a shifty, quick pass-catcher with upside.—
Mike Kaye
Updated March 11,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This is Bali in the slow lane, devoid of Ubud‘s notorious traffic jams and souvenir stores, and with barely any other hotels in the surrounding area.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Around that time Uthmeier was one of the forces behind the construction of notorious Alligator Alcatraz, the immigration detention facility located in the Everglades inside the Big Cypress National Preserve.—
Greg Cote
Updated March 30,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Storrie then answers the door amid a sudden rainstorm to reveal a shadowy figure approaching in a raincoat.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Global Risk Advisors had been a shadowy operation.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In another case, Nita Almuete Paddit Palma, 76, and her husband, Adolfo Catbagan, 68, are accused of operating three fraudulent hospice care facilities, including one that was operating while Palma was free on bond in another hospice fraud case.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Medicare paid the Gills more than $4 million on the fraudulent claims.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
After being handed a fake car from a dubious contest, Castillo filed a real lawsuit against the station for $60,000.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The price of gasoline in June 2022 wins that dubious distinction.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shady. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
