SHADY Synonyms: 269 Similar and Opposite Words

shady

adjective

ˈshā-dē

Definition of shady

as in shaded

protected from the sun's rays a lovely shady spot in the park that was pleasantly cool

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in deceptive

given to or marked by cheating and deception a shady business deal

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir kept the mountainsides shady and cool. — Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026 When the men’s shady deals land them all in danger, the women must learn to survive the jungle – and each other. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026 Finally, look out for shady business practices or outright scams when buying or selling a watch. — Joe D'allegro, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026 Bulbs that do well in shadier areas include snowdrops, winter aconite, and Grecian windflower. — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shady

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shady

Adjective

The exterior is well equipped for leisurely days—including a shaded hammock, large deck, and a fire pit with Adirondack chairs beneath a string of bistro lights.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026
The balloting was marred by violence and irregularities, including a deadly shooting, a bomb blast and pre-shaded ballots that force delayed voting in dozens of precincts.

— Teresa Cerojano, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of shaded

Adjective

The Idaho Consumer Protection Act, enacted in 1971, protects consumers from false, deceptive or misleading representations, advertising, pricing and contracts.

— Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2026
What Apple says about suspicious iMessages Apple says this type of deceptive messaging uses social engineering, a tactic in which scammers rely on impersonation and manipulation to persuade people to share personal information.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of deceptive

Adjective

In the Week 2 overtime thriller against the Indianapolis Colts, Johnson’s shifty play alongside Walker gave Kansas City what could quietly be one of the league’s best one-two punches in the backfield.

— Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026
In that section, gruesome murders have spooked what few locals there are, and the boy, Caleb (Atticus Affleck), has a shifty, older-than-his years air about him that makes farmer Emmett (Scoot McNairy) quite unsettled.

— Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of shifty

Adjective

Durham was later apprehended and served time in prison for the crime, but not before selling the paintings to a notorious crime boss who was later found in possession of the art.

— Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
Operation Save Skid Row saw federal and city authorities execute 28 arrest warrants and 44 search warrants in an effort to dismantle drug distribution networks in the notorious neighborhood.

— Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of notorious

Adjective

Advance has the backing of major Republican figures and donors, but its shadowy approach has also faced criticism for condensing complicated policy into ballot measures that may have impacts that are more far-reaching than voters understand.

— Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026
The song is filled with medieval antisemitism about shadowy figures, dark money and power as the force controlling the media and the government.

— Kenneth L. Marcus, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of shadowy

Adjective

Philadelphia police are also working with GoFundMe to prevent fraudulent fundraisers, the department said in a post on Facebook.

— Laura Fay, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Dispute fraudulent charges and accounts, follow up on your identity theft report and request that fraudulent information be removed from your credit reports.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of fraudulent

Adjective

If Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is to be believed, America will soon gain the dubious distinction of joining the only four countries on the globe that carry out executions in public.

— Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Publicly available information from the Pike case, for instance, suggests that the drug may have been of dubious quality and extravasated during administration by Tennessee prison employees.

— Dr. Jacob Appel, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of dubious

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shadowy

shady

shaft

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“Shady.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shady. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of shady

adjective

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