1
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
the shadowy area between tough interrogation and torture
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shady
protected from the sun's rays
a shadowy lane that is a mosaic of colors during the autumn foliage season
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shadowy
Critics, among them Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims, have claimed Maxwell’s father held ties to the Mossad, arguing that Epstein was involved in a shadowy underworld connected to an intelligence apparatus.
—
Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 22 July 2025
At the center of the charges is a shadowy political consulting firm run by a fictitious persona.
—Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
The coming days will see the moon’s shadowy terminator creep across its surface, heralding the onset of its waning gibbous phase.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 11 July 2025
Shady origins and shadowy corporate machinations that built the titular amusement park?
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shadowy
Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 22 July 2025
At the center of the charges is a shadowy political consulting firm run by a fictitious persona.
—Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
The coming days will see the moon’s shadowy terminator creep across its surface, heralding the onset of its waning gibbous phase.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 11 July 2025
Shady origins and shadowy corporate machinations that built the titular amusement park?
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shadowy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shadowy
Adjective
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When asked about how Bader's addition will affect Kepler specifically, Dombrowski gave a vague response.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Aug. 2025
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Don’t hide behind vague language or blame external factors entirely.—
Cody Slach,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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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
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Visitors will find 2,000 miles of shady hiking trails, 3,000 ponds and lakes with water originating from cool mountain peaks, 30,000 miles of fresh and often chilly rivers and streams and millions of acres of sun-filtering forests.—
Matt Alderton,
USA Today,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Hill's faint whistling can be heard in the background, hinting that the time loop may be far from broken, and Hill may not be gone after all.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
30 July 2025
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My favorite hotel memory is: Waking up at Hotel Ritz to birdsong, sunlight, and the faint scent of fresh croissants — Parisian magic in every sense.—
Caroline Tell,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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Binoculars show it as a hazy spot of light, but its full splendor is revealed only through a large telescope.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
28 July 2025
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The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed hazy skies and the smell of smoke across the region, attributing the conditions to smoke trapped in a sinking air mass above the Northeast.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shadowy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shadowy. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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