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
These old/new Muppets are as zany, soulful, and shady as ever.
—
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 9 Feb. 2026
Stax had closed, shuttered by some shady dealings by Atlantic in New York and Union Planters Bank in Memphis.
—Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 8 Feb. 2026
From the trailhead, follow blue blazes on a short walk through a shady forest before crossing an open field underneath power lines then back into the trees again.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Just how far is Whitney willing to go to hide his shady business dealings in Accra in his quest to grow Tender?
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shady
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 9 Feb. 2026
Stax had closed, shuttered by some shady dealings by Atlantic in New York and Union Planters Bank in Memphis.
—Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 8 Feb. 2026
From the trailhead, follow blue blazes on a short walk through a shady forest before crossing an open field underneath power lines then back into the trees again.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Just how far is Whitney willing to go to hide his shady business dealings in Accra in his quest to grow Tender?
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shady
Adjective
-
That might not be a huge deal with temperature forecasts in the mid-60s, but during a long game, teams prefer the shaded side even in moderate weather.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Floor-to-ceiling glass doors slide open onto either shaded balconies, patios with hot tubs, or the beach, depending on the room type.—
Lauren Harano,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Savings are only on brand names, which can be deceptive when comparing prices.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Novo has so far filed around 130 lawsuits dealing with deceptive marketing practices and consumer fraud, Kuckelman said.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
New England Patriots linebackers Robert Spillane and Harold Landry III were officially listed as questionable for the Super Bowl.—
Amos Morale III,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
While Britain is suffering perhaps the most dramatic upheaval in the wake of the latest batch of Epstein files, association with the billionaire is popping up across the globe like a pandemic of questionable judgment.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Oka, a 6-foot-8 freshman, is a natural scorer who has a shifty handle and defensive tools to shut down any top player.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Published by Tor Nightfire in February 2023, the book centers on Eric Ross, a single father struggling to provide for his two daughters, who accepts a job documenting paranormal activity within a notorious Texas residence.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Once notorious for high crime rates, the city has seen violent crime drop to low or zero levels in recent years.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The Ku Klux Klan maintained a shadowy presence in Hanceville well into the second half of the 20th century; KKK meetings took place in some homes and hideaways here as recently as the 1980s.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Moonglow channels some of the sultry, smoky atmosphere of those films, with Isaac Banks’ shadowy cinematography turning Manila into a colorful setting for all the double-crossings and back-stabbings, as well as a few heavy glances between the two leads.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Some defendants are also accused of conspiring to bribe a civilian contractor to create fraudulent military IDs for base access.—
Steve Patterson,
Florida Times-Union,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Rivers used her professional connection with Event Décor Direct in Deerfield Beach to take money from the event decoration business over a three-month period in 2025, in part by making dozens of fraudulent transactions and credit card purchases, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The three central male characters — Mike, Lou, and Orman — all converge on the archetype of the lone wolf, a dubious label the collaboration-shirking Lou has taken on in his precinct, and one his colleagues are decidedly over.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Lake will retain the ability to undermine the broadcasters, but her expensive, monthslong, legally dubious attempt to destroy them has so far failed.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shady. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
