shadowy

adjective

shad·​owy ˈsha-dō-ē How to pronounce shadowy (audio)
-də-wē
1
a
: of the nature of or resembling a shadow
b
: faintly perceptible : indistinct
2
: being in or obscured by shadow
deep shadowy interiors
3
shadowily adverb
shadowiness noun

Examples of shadowy in a Sentence

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 But Kira is also Viktor Sams, the shadowy entity who has been pulling the strings of the Collier and Chun families for years. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 5 Mar. 2024 The three large pictures of single figures in dark sylvan settings — one on each wall at Transformer’s tiny gallery space — are shadowy and partly illuminated by strange bluish light. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024 But, viewed another way, did the Unknown not deliver something of the shadowy dread that has made Dahl’s novels enduring touchstones to generations of readers? Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 29 Feb. 2024 Paul’s noble mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson, all fire and steel), belongs to a shadowy religious sisterhood, the Bene Gesserit, with its own twisted designs on her son. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2024 In their push to keep Smirnov behind bars, prosecutors have pointed to his ties to Russian and other foreign intelligence agencies, as well as his murky wealth — including access to more than $6 million — and shadowy existence. Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 Proponents of these theories may argue that powerful and shadowy groups, like the Illuminati or global elites, control world events to further their own agendas. Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 And after a drone strike by a new and shadowy Shiite umbrella group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq killed three American service personnel at a military outpost in Jordan in late January, the United States responded with a series of strikes on dozens of targets in Iraq and Syria. Toby Matthiesen, Foreign Affairs, 9 Feb. 2024 Solitude Studios went rogue during Copenhagen Fashion Week, presenting an off-schedule collection in the cool and shadowy Kongernes Lapidarium, a museum located in a 400-year-old royal brewery building filled with historical sculptures that is also used by contemporary artists. Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shadowy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of shadowy was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near shadowy

Cite this Entry

“Shadowy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shadowy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

shadowy

adjective
shad·​owy ˈshad-ə-wē How to pronounce shadowy (audio)
1
a
: not realistic
shadowy dreams of glory
b
: dim as a shadow
the shadowy area between good and bad
2
: full of shade
a shadowy lane

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