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

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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

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Adjective

Before it was taken down, the shadowy dark web service called Nexus allowed virtually anybody to peruse identity documents of over 170 million people in the US and Canada. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026 Every shadowy corner of a piazza seems to hide a garotte-wielding assassin. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026 Like Slaughterhouse–Five, Mother Night explores the shadowy line separating good and evil during wartime. — Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026 Your more shadowy tendencies are liable to pop out around this time, particularly the ones that stem from an insecure attachment style. — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 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 5 Sep. 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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