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sunshade

American  
[suhn-shayd] / ˈsʌnˌʃeɪd /

noun

  • sunshades
    plural
  1. something used as a protection from the rays of the sun, as an awning or a parasol.


sunshade British  
/ ˈsʌnˌʃeɪd /

noun

  1. a device, esp a parasol or awning, serving to shade from the sun

"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

Usage

What does sunshade mean? Sunshade is a general term for something that’s intended to block sunshine and provide shade—something that shades you from the sun. Things that could be called a sunshade include an awning (like in a stadium or on the back of your house), a parasol (one of those umbrellas used for shade), and that thing you put on the inside of your car’s windshield so the car doesn’t so get so hot in the sun. Although the word shades is a slang term for sunglasses, the word sunshade does not typically refer to sunglasses. Example: I don’t want to get a sunburn while sitting on the deck, so I’m going to install some kind of sunshade.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of sunshade

First recorded in 1835–45; sun + shade


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.

See Examples For:

They’ve raised concerns about a sunshade placed over the dock, a wooden walkway to connect the restaurant to handicap parking spots, and a wedding that was held on site.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

"It's convenient because the motorway covers the back half of the garden so I've a dry area and it acts as my sunshade, which has been handy in recent weeks."

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Beneath a tarp sunshade, Apiñas began cooking eggs and toasting bread while the children used water from a bucket to wash their face and brush their teeth.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2024

Previous studies have suggested that a sunshade would need to block out about 1.7 percent of incoming solar radiation to lower the Earth’s temperature enough to meet the targets of the Paris climate agreement.

From Scientific American ● Aug. 1, 2023

He’d draped a net over his head for a sunshade.

From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer

Roman then opened its array of solar panels and sunshades, which power the craft and keep its sensitive instruments cool.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026

The firm designed a sandy-hued building with metal downspouts and horizontal sunshades made of weathered steel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

But a wagon can restore that simplicity: It’s a great way to lug toys, sunshades and chairs over sandy hillocks.

From New York Times ● Jul. 1, 2023

Right out of the gate on the base model, the 2023 G90 luxury sedan comes standard with power side and rear sunshades to make you feel like a celebrity.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 28, 2022

Samir had an entire satchel full of perfumes for himself, some beard wax in an ivory box, his teeth-whitening cream, his bronze sunshades, and more combs than the Queen of Persia.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

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