shadow

1 of 3

noun

shad·​ow ˈsha-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce shadow (audio)
1
: the dark figure cast upon a surface by a body intercepting the rays from a source of light
2
: partial darkness or obscurity within a part of space from which rays from a source of light are cut off by an interposed opaque body
3
: a small degree or portion : trace
4
: an attenuated form or a vestigial remnant
5
a
: an inseparable companion or follower
b
: one (such as a spy or detective) who shadows someone
6
a
: an area near an object : vicinity
b
: pervasive and dominant influence
7
: a shaded or darker portion of a picture
8
: a reflected image
9
: shelter from danger or observation
10
a
: an imperfect and faint representation
b
: an imitation of something : copy
11
12
shadows plural : dark sense 1a
13
: a source of gloom or unhappiness
14
: a state of ignominy or obscurity
shadowless
ˈsha-dō-ləs How to pronounce shadow (audio)
-də-ləs
adjective
shadowlike
ˈsha-dō-ˌlīk How to pronounce shadow (audio)
-də-ˌlīk
adjective

shadow

2 of 3

verb

shadowed; shadowing; shadows

transitive verb

1
: to cast a shadow upon : cloud
2
a
: to follow especially secretly : trail
b
: to accompany and observe especially in a professional setting
3
: to represent or indicate obscurely or faintly
often used with forth or out
4
archaic : shelter, protect
5
archaic : shade sense 5
6
obsolete : to shelter from the sun
7
obsolete : conceal

intransitive verb

1
: to pass gradually or by degrees
2
: to become overcast with or as if with shadows
shadower
ˈsha-dō-ər How to pronounce shadow (audio)
-də-wər
noun

shadow

3 of 3

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or resembling a shadow cabinet
shadow minister of defense
2
a
: having an indistinct pattern
shadow plaid
b
: having darker sections of design
shadow lace

Examples of shadow in a Sentence

Noun The tree cast a long shadow across the lawn. You can see your own shadow on a sunny day. Part of the valley was in shadow. He saw something moving in the shadows. I sensed a shadow of disappointment in his expression. Verb Police shadowed the suspect for several days. She spent the night shadowing other waiters at the restaurant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Employees have reported seeing unexplained shadows, hearing phantom footsteps, and had objects thrown at them while doing maintenance work. Brittany Anas, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 Players must guide Vivian around the shadows of the school, investigating every corner, wall, and drawer for clues not just about progressing, but about what happened behind a gruesome fire years prior that took the lives of multiple students. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2024
Verb
Vice President Kamala Harris has sought to cast herself potential presidency as a fresh start from the rhetoric of violence that has shadowed the 2020 and 2024 election cycles. Ivana Saric, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024 Polanski has been shadowed by another statutory rape case for decades. Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 23 Oct. 2024
Adjective
The pre-shadow phase of the retrograde starts in motion the things that will affect us during the retrograde, so this is when the drama first manifests. Lisa Stardust, Glamour, 3 June 2022 The sooner, the better, as this transit has a pre-shadow period starting before the retrograde itself hits. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2021 See all Example Sentences for shadow 

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English shadwe, from Old English sceaduw-, sceadu shade

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4

Adjective

1906, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shadow was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near shadow

Cite this Entry

“Shadow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shadow. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

shadow

1 of 2 noun
shad·​ow ˈshad-ō How to pronounce shadow (audio)
1
: shade within certain bounds
the valley was in shadow
2
: a reflected image (as in a mirror)
3
: shelter from danger or view
4
a
: an imperfect and faint representation
b
: an imitation of something
5
: the dark figure cast on a surface by a body that is between the surface and the light
my shadow stays with me
6
7
plural : darkness caused by the setting of the sun
twilight shadows
8
: a shaded part of a picture
9
: a form from which the substance has departed : remnant, vestige
10
a
: an inseparable companion or follower
b
: a person who shadows as a spy or detective
11
: a very little bit : trace
not a shadow of a doubt
12
: a source of gloom or unhappiness
shadowless adjective
shadowlike adjective

shadow

2 of 2 verb
1
: to cast a shadow on
2
: to follow especially secretly : trail
shadower noun

Medical Definition

shadow

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: partial darkness or obscurity within a part of space from which rays from a source of light are cut off by an interposed opaque body
b
: a dark outline or image on an X-ray photograph where the X-rays have been blocked by a radiopaque mass (as a tumor)
2
: a colorless or slightly pigmented or stained body (as a degenerate cell or empty membrane) only faintly visible under the microscope

shadow

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to perform shadow-casting on
freeze-dried and shadowed myosin molecules

More from Merriam-Webster on shadow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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