shadowy

adjective

shad·​owy ˈsha-dō-ē 

-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

a

: shady sense 1

b

: shady sense 3

shadowily

ˈsha-də-wə-lē 

adverb

shadowiness

ˈsha-də-wē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• blear
• bleary
• blurry
• dim
• faint
• foggy
• fuzzy
• gauzy
• hazy
• indefinite
• indistinct
• indistinguishable
• misty
• murky
• nebulous
• obscure
• opaque
• pale
• unclear
• undefined
• undetermined
• vague

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

Rich honey colours are warm and welcoming; while the room’s heritage wall panelling is enhanced with shadowy murals featuring silhouettes of dancing figures. —Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025

Watch on Deadline In Severance Season 1, the eerie contentment of a fictional conglomerate — occupied by characters played by Adam Scott, John Turturro and Zach Cherry — is upended with the arrival of standout Britt Lower’s Helly, who questions the shadowy circumstances of their predicament. —Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 12 Jan. 2025

Risky Loans, Fast Profits: Blue Owl Capital has become one of Wall Street’s biggest operators in the shadowy world of private credit. —Ben Casselman, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025

There’s danger ahead, though, with some shadowy figure still following Kat around town. —Marah Eakin, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

shadowy

adjective

shad·​owy ˈshad-ə-wē 

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