shady

adjective

ˈshā-dē How to pronounce shady (audio)
Definition of shadynext
1
as in shaded
protected from the sun's rays a lovely shady spot in the park that was pleasantly cool

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2
as in deceptive
given to or marked by cheating and deception a shady business deal

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3
as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged cited some shady statistics to back up his argument

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4
as in shifty
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions shady characters hanging out in the park after nightfall

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5
as in notorious
not respectable a courtesan who lived on the shady fringe of society

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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 Santa Margarita River Trail Looking for a shady spring or summertime hike? — Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 Earle ended up leaving the network and posting some shady comments on TikTok, leading Cooper to respond with a direct shot. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026 Gonzalez has now revamped the lobby, created a private bar, lined the pool with blue-and-white tiles, and added a shady pergola on the terrace. — Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 19 Aug. 2026 Seek out a shady table, whether by the sea, beneath pine and tamarisk trees, or on a village terrace. — Lanie Goodman, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shady
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shady
  1. shaded
  2. deceptive
  3. questionable
  4. shifty
  5. notorious
  6. shadowy
  7. fraudulent
  8. dubious
Adjective
  • The main sala, an open pavilion or a shaded resting place, provides unobstructed coastline views.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The family-friendly experience will include H-E-B products and food sampling stations, a Spirit Salon offering face painting and airbrush tattoos, family games and a shaded lounge with a television.
    — Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of shaded
Adjective
  • The technology was also tested against deceptive behaviour, an in a different scenario, fishing boats appeared to retreat while vessels from another direction accelerated toward the coastguard ship.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The siblings are likely to dispute Jeanie’s characterization of their actions as deceptive and clandestine, perhaps by pointing to communications with their sister and her responses.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceptive
Adjective
  • Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley) plays a government agent working in the Department of Alien Affairs, who gets caught up in a world of questionable ethics and violence.
    — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • She was recently listed as questionable due to a back injury ahead of a game against the Toronto Tempo, but started both games against the expansion team last week.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of questionable
Adjective
  • The singer kept her cool through technical difficulties and captivated a drenched, shifty crowd, drawing them in with a warm smile and a euphonious delivery.
    — DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • No actress this century has been able to match Hathaway's slinky, shifty take on small-time thief Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of shifty
Adjective
  • Age verifications and parental controls come with notorious loopholes.
    — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The tariffs are notorious among economists and historians for shutting down world commerce and making the Great Depression worse.
    — Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of notorious
Adjective
  • Luke Halls’ video and projections add another layer of visual unease, allowing screens and technology inside the home to become as suspicious as its shadowy corners.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • What Washington could do China imports Iranian oil using a shadowy system that’s by design insulated from the US dollar system – and sanctions.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of shadowy
Adjective
  • Police said Pabst later learned that the pickup documents were fraudulent.
    — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Washington rejected the legitimacy of the 2018 election that returned Maduro to office and also considered his 2024 reelection fraudulent.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • But the unyielding scrutiny over dubious associations doesn’t cut both ways.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • When his distant goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) shows up with a dubious interest in researching the Dial, Indy is begrudgingly wrangled into One Last Ride.
    — Frank DeRuggiero, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of dubious

Browse Nearby Words

shadowy
shady
shaft
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Cite this Entry

“Shady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shady. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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