shadowy

1 of 2

adjective

shad·owy ˈsha-dō-ē

-də-wē

Synonyms of shadowy

: of the nature of or resembling a shadow

: faintly perceptible : indistinct

: being in or obscured by shadow

deep shadowy interiors

: shady sense 1

: shady sense 3

shadowily

ˈsha-də-wə-lē

adverb

shadowiness

ˈsha-də-wē-nəs

noun

shadowiness

2 of 2

noun

shad·ow·i·ness -dəw|ēnə̇s

-dō|,

|in-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being shadowy

the shadowiness of night

that shadowiness … you find in people whose lives are part of the social organism—W. S. Maugham

Synonyms of shadowy

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Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of shadowy in a Sentence

Adjective She was pursued by a shadowy figure. He had only a shadowy idea of what they wanted him to do.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Adjective

Trailing behind it was the shadowy form of a wolf. — Dolores Brown, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026 The result is a piece that shows just how fraught, shadowy, and dangerous that work can be. — Austin Elias-De Jesus, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 Even with its less tense game style, the premise of D-topia revolves around a shadowy society run by AI that is working to ensure happiness for the greatest number of people. — Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 16 June 2026 With the help of an NYPD detective and Susan's brother, Jacob, Reacher must race against the clock to solve the mystery behind her death and save himself from the powerful, shadowy forces at play. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for shadowy

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of shadowy was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

shadow welt

shadowy

shad porgy

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Shadowy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shadowy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

shadowy

adjective

shad·owy ˈshad-ə-wē

: not realistic

shadowy dreams of glory

: dim as a shadow

the shadowy area between good and bad

: full of shade

a shadowy lane

shadowy

adjective

noun

Synonyms of shadowy

Examples of shadowy in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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