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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shady
While not full-sun plants, coral bells will quickly die in excessively shady conditions.
—
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2025
The thriller is set in the shady world of ex-special forces, where outcasts Kelly Frost, Rachel Chan, and Inferno unite to stop a billionaire’s plot to destabilize Hong Kong.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025
The project would also include shady areas for the service dogs prisoners help train for Guide Dogs of America.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025
It’s implied that before going into construction, Levon had brought his military training into civilian life in some shady (though likely heroic) capacity or another — maybe even kidnap recovery.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shady
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2025
The thriller is set in the shady world of ex-special forces, where outcasts Kelly Frost, Rachel Chan, and Inferno unite to stop a billionaire’s plot to destabilize Hong Kong.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025
The project would also include shady areas for the service dogs prisoners help train for Guide Dogs of America.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025
It’s implied that before going into construction, Levon had brought his military training into civilian life in some shady (though likely heroic) capacity or another — maybe even kidnap recovery.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shady
Adjective
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Without resources or expertise to vet influencers properly, these companies become vulnerable to deceptive practices.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
-
In 2022, the California DMV sued Tesla, saying the company engaged in deceptive marketing and advertising practices around its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems.—
Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The data shows high growth but questionable profitability: AI funding reached a record $100.4 billion in 2024, with mega-rounds accounting for 69% of funding.—
Sajal Singh,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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Whether that trough also brings rain with it is far more questionable.—
Rick Hurd,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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And the staff lined up just to say goodbye / Tiny tear in his shifty little eye.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Apr. 2025
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That blandness has gone hand in hand with a shifty political opportunism, marked by half-hearted representational milestones—Ariel is Black!—
Justin Chang,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Third-party cookies are notorious for helping analytics firms and advertisers track users’ activities, potentially violating their online privacy.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
22 Apr. 2025
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Some Venezuelans subject to Trump’s use of the law have been sent to El Salvador and housed in its notorious main prison, known as CECOT.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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One frustrating element of Lamar’s production was difficulty seeing him in between shadowy lighting despite the Mission Control assembly of soundboards and video monitors at the back of the stadium floor.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
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Details in light and shadowy areas are sharp, though the Pixel 8 Pro renders a bit more detail here.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Any email platform is exposed to this kind of attack, with scammers using fraudulent alerts and malicious links to entrap victims.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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Affected individuals may be vulnerable to identity theft, fraudulent account openings and targeted phishing attempts.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Given the volume of legally dubious activity, some of the administration’s unlawful actions will inevitably advance before litigation can stop them.—
Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar,
Foreign Affairs,
18 Apr. 2025
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In The Hulk, Ross uses dubious means to hunt down Bruce Banner.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This Georgia Rain style has a dark brown finish with distressing and burnishing for an antique appearance.—
Ali Faccenda,
People.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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The bigger screen sizes each sit on two flat, narrow feet that are dark gray metal.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shady. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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