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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Give houseplants a summer vacation by putting them outside under the shady branches of a tree or under protective eaves.
—
Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2025
One is always within sight of a shady area with benches or chairs, appreciated by those visitors past a certain age.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Meanwhile, de Armas also caused a minor ruckus by liking a shady Instagram post about Cruise’s ex, Nicole Kidman.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 30 July 2025
The former Oakland Raiders linebacker was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s shady military pal in Predator (1987) before landing his own macho action vehicle in Action Jackson (1988).
—Skyler Trepel, EW.com, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shady
Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2025
One is always within sight of a shady area with benches or chairs, appreciated by those visitors past a certain age.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Meanwhile, de Armas also caused a minor ruckus by liking a shady Instagram post about Cruise’s ex, Nicole Kidman.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 30 July 2025
The former Oakland Raiders linebacker was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s shady military pal in Predator (1987) before landing his own macho action vehicle in Action Jackson (1988).
—Skyler Trepel, EW.com, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shady
Adjective
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These emails are loaded with deceptive links that lead to malware infections, and the consequences can be severe.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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The Center for Democracy and Technology, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and American Civil Liberties Union say the software companies push deceptive marketing practices, exploit fear, normalize invasion of privacy and erode trust.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The clubs engaged in an arms race that many of them could not afford and which was financed either with debt or the cash of questionable characters.—
Chris Deubert,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Well, not just them: also some of our most questionable corporations.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Renfrow, when on the field, has been hard to cover, as he is both shifty and quick in his routes.—
Mike Kaye
August 4,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Aug. 2025
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Jean-Bart burst on the scene in the Trojans’ spring game, showing off some spectacular catches in coverage as well as some shifty route-running ability.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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The House members, Reps. Adriano Espaillat, Nydia Velazquez and Daniel Goldman, showed up at the notorious Sunset Park federal jail Wednesday morning, but were blocked at the door, then were briefly trapped between the iron gate in front of the jail and its entrance doors.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
6 Aug. 2025
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The notorious escort service eventually saw Fleiss arrested and convicted for tax evasion and implicated several Hollywood stars and politicians.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Both are elite operatives able to charm their way into a room full of guards or kick their way out of one, and both are linked to a shadowy organization powerful enough to shape world events.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Aug. 2025
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The big consistency is the black hole at the center of it all—the shadowy doorway of Alex’s house.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Jones was charged with three felonies — theft of a credit card, criminal use of personal identification information, and fraudulent use of a credit card over two times within six months, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Candidates flagged for fraudulent behavior had a 27% lower quality of hire than their honest peers, according to the same study.—
Michael Fitzsimmons,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Another dubious distinction is that Texas boasts an economic precariousness that the rest of those states can’t match.—
Kathryn Anne Edwards,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
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Although revenues fell short of expectations for the last quarter, earnings per share were up, due to the dubious magic of share buybacks.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Sydney Sweeney’s new dark crime comedy Americana is new in theaters this weekend.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Flames and dark smoke billowed over a cement factory that was set alight by a wildfire that swept through olive groves and forests and disrupted rail traffic on the outskirts of the Greek city of Patras, west of Athens.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shady. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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