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Synonyms

shades

British  
/ ʃeɪdz /

plural noun

  1. gathering darkness at nightfall

  2. a slang word for sunglasses

  3. (often capital) a literary term for Hades

  4. (foll by of) undertones or suggestions

    shades of my father!
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Shades of 2021, when Mr. Ciattarelli came from nowhere and almost defeated Gov. Phil Murphy, losing by only 3.2 points.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 20, 2025

Shades resembling minerals, stones and grasses compared to custom blended paints.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2025

Shades of "Man Show" masculinity are all around us, especially in forums that we shouldn't expect it to show up, except in this darkest, dumbest of timelines.

From Salon • Jun. 1, 2025

Shades of “Man Show” masculinity are all around us, especially in forums that we shouldn’t expect it to show up, except in this darkest, dumbest of timelines.

From Salon • Jun. 1, 2025

Shades of red, yellow, and brown, different shapes and sizes.

From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.