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
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.
Resilience was targeting the top of the moon, a less forbidding place than the shadowy bottom. Arkansas Online, 6 June 2025 Financial support, in the form of a shadowy investment club that purports to lift up and empower women. Dwyer Murphy june 6, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025 The follow-up to Susan Choi’s 2019 National Book Award winner Trust Exercise, Flashlight tells the epic history of a fractured American family from alternating points of view, starting with the shadowy disappearance of the father, an ethnically Korean immigrant from Japan named Serk. Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 2 June 2025 Several shadowy attacks in Iran attributed to Israel in recent years seemingly used similar methods to Operation Spider’s Web, albeit on a much smaller scale. Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for shadowy

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shadowy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shadowy. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on shadowy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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