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 Her style is starker and more stylized, with bold blacks as backdrops or in shadowy figures in the foreground. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 But for a noir of isolation and concealment, about how the past can often feel inescapable, these shadowy dugouts — Travis’ motel, a church and one character’s lonely lair — are an atmospheric mother lode. Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Through the use of sound (the storm lashes on throughout the night) and shadowy cinematography, a great sense of unease cloaks this taut bone-chiller, a chamber piece played to perfection by its two leads. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 And as for the gloriously Eurotrash score playing over every other scene of venomous nun-on-nun attacks and slow-dread strolls down shadowy passageways, Goblin may want to contact their lawyers. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2024 The conspiracy theories accused the program, called Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, of trying to manipulate votes, and falsely painted a prominent Democratic donor as a shadowy financier pulling the organization’s strings. Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024 Image Image Hovsepian, who was born in Isfahan, Iran, and grew up in Toledo, Ohio, makes allusive, shadowy photographs and assemblages that are in the permanent collections of New York’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago. Max Berlinger Stefan Ruiz, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2024 No amount of harsh overhead lighting can shake the shadowy atmosphere of the venue, which is run by a slippery figure (Sharlto Copley), who handles rupees with unnerving greed. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 Rather than encouraging a collective effort to establish a clear legal framework to manage AI, states are already engaged in subtle, shadowy conflicts over AI’s material and intangible foundations. Aziz Huq, Foreign Affairs, 11 Mar. 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 29 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

More from Merriam-Webster on shadowy

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