shadow

American  

[shad-oh] / ˈʃæd oʊ /

noun

• shadows
  plural

1. a dark figure or image cast on the ground or some surface by a body intercepting light.

2. shade or comparative darkness, as in an area.

3. shadows, darkness, especially that coming after sunset.

4. shelter; protection.

   sanctuary in the shadow of the church.

5. a slight suggestion; trace.

   beyond the shadow of a doubt.

6. a specter or ghost.

   pursued by shadows.

7. a hint or faint, indistinct image or idea; intimation.

   shadows of things to come.

8. a mere semblance.

   the shadow of power.

9. a reflected image.

10. (in painting, drawing, graphics, etc.)

    1. the representation of the absence of light on a form.

    2. the dark part of a picture, especially as representing the absence of illumination.

       Rembrandt's figures often emerge gradually from the shadows.

11. (in architectural shades and shadows) a dark figure or image cast by an object or part of an object upon a surface that would otherwise be illuminated by the theoretical light source.

12. a period or instance of gloom, unhappiness, mistrust, doubt, dissension, or the like, as in friendship or one's life.

    Their relationship was not without shadows.

13. a dominant or pervasive threat, influence, or atmosphere, especially one causing gloom, fear, doubt, or the like.

    They lived under the shadow of war.

14. an inseparable companion.

    The dog was his shadow.

15. a person who follows another in order to keep watch upon that person, as a spy or detective.

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verb (used with object)

• shadows,
  present (3rd person singular)
• shadowed,
  past participle,  past
• shadowing
  present participle

1. to overspread with shadow; shade.

2. to cast a gloom over; cloud.

   The incident shadowed their meeting.

3. to screen or protect from light, heat, etc.; shade.

4. to follow and observe (a person): All new employees will be assigned a mentor whom they will shadow during their first week at work.

   Spies and secret agents shadowed government officials in clandestine assignments during the Cold War.

   All new employees will be assigned a mentor whom they will shadow during their first week at work.

5. to represent faintly, prophetically, etc. (often followed byforth ).

6. Archaic. to shelter or protect.

7. Archaic. to shade in painting, drawing, etc.

adjective

1. of or relating to a shadow cabinet.

2. without official authority.

   a shadow government.

3. unofficial or without public notice; characterized by secrecy or performed in a way that is difficult to detect; clandestine: shadow docket;

   shadow ban;

   shadow docket;

   shadow inflation.

shadow British  

/ ˈʃædəʊ /

noun

1. a dark image or shape cast on a surface by the interception of light rays by an opaque body

2. an area of relative darkness

3. the dark portions of a picture

4. a hint, image, or faint semblance

   beyond a shadow of a doubt

5. a remnant or vestige

   a shadow of one's past self

6. a reflection

7. a threatening influence; blight

   a shadow over one's happiness

8. a spectre

9. an inseparable companion

10. a person who trails another in secret, such as a detective

11. med a dark area on an X-ray film representing an opaque structure or part

12. (in Jungian psychology) the archetype that represents man's animal ancestors

13. archaic protection or shelter

14. (modifier) designating a member or members of the main opposition party in Parliament who would hold ministerial office if their party were in power

    shadow Chancellor

    shadow cabinet

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verb

1. to cast a shadow over

2. to make dark or gloomy; blight

3. to shade from light

4. to follow or trail secretly

5. (often foll by forth) to represent vaguely

6. painting drawing another word for shade

shadow Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing shadow

• afraid of one's own shadow
• beyond a (shadow of a) doubt

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Synonym Usage

See shade.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preshadow
  noun
• shadower
  noun
• shadowless
  adjective
• shadowlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• shadows
  plural

Participles

• shadowing
  present
• shadowed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• shadow
  simple
• shadows
  simple
• have shadowed
  perfect
• has shadowed
  perfect
• am shadowing
  progressive
• are shadowing
  progressive
• is shadowing
  progressive
• have been shadowing
  perfect progressive
• has been shadowing
  perfect progressive

Past

• shadowed
  simple
• had shadowed
  perfect
• was shadowing
  progressive
• were shadowing
  progressive
• had been shadowing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will shadow
  simple
• will have shadowed
  perfect
• will be shadowing
  progressive
• will have been shadowing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of shadow

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun shadwe, shadu(e), shadow(e), Old English sceadu, oblique case scead(u)we; Middle English verb shadwe(n), shadu(e) “to shade, provide shade, cast a shadow, protect,” Old English sceadwian “to cover with shadow, protect,” derivative of the noun; compare Old Saxon skadowan, skadoian, Gothic (ufar)skadwjan “to (over)shadow”; see also shade

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Explanation

A shadow is a dark shape that is formed when an object blocks a source of light. On a sunny day, practically everything casts a shadow — including you. Shadow can also act as an action, like when you shadow, or follow, someone on the first day at a new job. Depending on its use, shadow can have negative or positive connotations. Children often play with their shadows and think of their shadows as constant companions, like in the song lyric "just me and my shadow." On the other hand, you could be such a wimp that you fear your own shadow or at least fear what lurks in the shadows. Used as a verb, a spy could shadow you without your knowledge. Or, your faithful dog might shadow you as you pace around the house. You might be sick and tired of living in the shadow of your older sister who always seems to be the center of attention — blocking you from the spotlight.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shadow shadows shadowed shadowing

The prospect of a wealth tax had cast a long shadow for the state’s richest residents.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026

Rather than shadow every single agent, Sentra’s data security platform is designed to map out a company’s entire digital network from top to bottom to identify and classify sensitive data, Regev said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

The war has cast a shadow on Persian Gulf nations that have long presented themselves as paragons of stability in a volatile region, mostly unaffected by the conflicts raging in the wider Middle East.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

In the shadow of the turbines, 23-year-old farmer Phonekhan Sengsopha said he was proud that electricity produced in his country was being sent to its neighbour, also a communist nation.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026

The absence of all light and shadow and sensation.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Three ominous shadows stretch over the memoirs of Sylvester Stallone and Michael Douglas, though none is cast by the authors themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Known as an abyssal species, it slothfully trawls the shadows like some mournful Lovecraftian being, possessing an especially sluggish metabolism, which isn’t surprising considering its size.

From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026

Situated next to Nigeria, the small west African country of Benin is generally used to being left in the shadows of its footballing powerhouse neighbour.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

To passersby, we could easily be mistaken for two teenagers hiding in the shadows.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

Nothing but dark, empty shadows alongside the federal buildings.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

He’s shadowed a dog groomer, a radio show host and a ramen shop owner, and is reviewing requests from an airline captain and a tattoo artist.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

The dinghy launched in Bay of the Seine and was shadowed for around 10 hours by French rescue boats in case it got into difficulty.

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

In his first few years, the former quarterback and Georgia state high school player of year routinely shadowed Rams receivers step for step on routes during practice, or lined up opposite them in press coverage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

The 51-year-old ran a campaign shadowed by the divisive legacy of her father, who ruled Peru in the 1990s.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

His long black hair and beard were streaked with silver, and a great overhanging forehead shadowed his glinting eyes, putting Harry in mind of a crab looking out from beneath a rock.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

The latest measurements suggest that conventional nuclear shadowing by itself is not enough to account for the observed pattern.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026

The BBC understands all operational staff complete more than eight weeks of training, which includes shadowing roles in other prisons.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

He recently won a charity auction to spend a day shadowing Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang and geeked out on the billionaire’s organizational prowess.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026

The documentary team immersed itself in the 2022 McDonald’s All-American Games, shadowing two boys and two girls throughout the weekend.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 17, 2026

Beneath the shadowing shawl her head was tied up with a rag – to keep her dead jaw from dropping in one final gape.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

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Related Words

• dark
• gloom
• obscurity
• shade

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