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
Inexplicably, Vance’s odds of winning surge on Kalshi, possibly linked to shady overseas bets.
—
Saahil Desai, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026
Rent a kayak and paddle through shady tunnels, or grab a mountain bike and discover that Miami does, in fact, have elevation changes—sort of.
—Outside, 15 Jan. 2026
In one stunning moment, Marty, trying to take a shower in a flophouse, ends up falling through the ceiling and onto a shady man (Abel Ferrara) trying to give his dog a bath in the unit below.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 14 Jan. 2026
Place your propane tank in a mostly shady location a few feet from your house.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shady
Saahil Desai, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026
Rent a kayak and paddle through shady tunnels, or grab a mountain bike and discover that Miami does, in fact, have elevation changes—sort of.
—Outside, 15 Jan. 2026
In one stunning moment, Marty, trying to take a shower in a flophouse, ends up falling through the ceiling and onto a shady man (Abel Ferrara) trying to give his dog a bath in the unit below.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 14 Jan. 2026
Place your propane tank in a mostly shady location a few feet from your house.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shady
Adjective
-
When the seedlings are several inches tall, and the temperature is at least 50°F, set them outside for a couple of hours in a shaded location.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Set on a sprawling 400-acre ranch a bit over an hour southeast of Austin, Cattle Country Festival offers camping under shaded pecan tree groves along the bank of the Guadalupe River.—
Mars Salazar,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Until now, New York only prohibited deceptive practices, but starting February 2026 the Attorney General can pursue companies for conduct that causes substantial consumer harm or takes advantage of consumers’ lack of understanding even if no fraud is involved.—
AJ Dhaliwal,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
-
This deceptive categorization is devoid of reality and misleads the American public.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The ingredient lists are often questionable, loaded with gums, stabilizers, oils, and added sugars that brands throw in to make their products taste and act like real milk.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Outside of those three young players and Cam Skattebo, Schoen has consistently made questionable decisions since landing in New York and has a 22-45-1 record to show for it.—
Jacob Robinson,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
At 6-foot-5, 181 pounds, Griffen may be tasked with guarding the shifty 6-foot guard.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Morrone is Enzo, their shifty-eyed landscaper with secrets of his own.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The massive K-pop machine is notorious for its artist development and production programs.—
Allison Cho,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The science of the pothole The primary driver of Michigan's notorious pothole season is the freeze-thaw cycle.—
Ahmad Bajjey,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Dell is finally good at something—but as her behavior becomes riskier and a shadowy troll threatens to expose her dark past, Dell must reckon with what her digital life ignores, and what real redemption means.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Back home, their physically abusive father stalks the shadowy hallways.—
Blake Simons,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Prosecutors said Greenlee used her position to steal from the Morgan Hill business’s bank account, writing fraudulent checks and opening two credit cards in her name.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
There are direct losses such as fraudulent transactions, ransom payments and emergency IT or forensic costs.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Trump has issued two hundred and twenty-eight executive orders—eight more than in his entire first term and sixty-six more than Joe Biden did in his four years—along with other dubious actions and pronouncements.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2026
-
And because Western insurers are forbidden from insuring them, tankers often operate with dubious Russian insurance, or no insurance at all.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shady. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
