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

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

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

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey took part in the talks but Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch could not be there and sent shadow health secretary Stuart Andrew instead.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

The traditional minor league team operates far from the shadow of a major league team.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

Congress should address the shadow docket in three ways.

From Slate ● Jul. 29, 2026

“The disposal of the Russian hygiene entity extricates the company from a business that cast a shadow over its first-quarter results,” the analyst said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Clare scoured the room for the badger, but with the candles and hearth fire still snuffed, his eye struggled to distinguish shape from shadow.

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

Those elements round out Neff’s romance-driven design, which includes wrought-iron rejas that cast dramatic shadows worthy of the noir classic “Double Indemnity.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

"Sometimes I like to just hide in the shadows," she says as the record opens.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

Those who remained would have to live in the shadows, never able to legally work or secure basic protections of lawful residency.

From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2026

Facing such constraints, she is mulling shifting part of her income into the shadows.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

I think of the kicked rock, the figure I thought I saw in the shadows of the doorway, the sense that someone had followed me to work the night before.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

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

Lockheed Martin plans to advance a compact, modular power system designed to generate electricity in the Moon's permanently shadowed regions, where sunlight never reaches.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026

The soldiers are shadowed by an allegorical figure carrying poppies, symbolizing sleep—an analog, in the art of the time, for death—and a laurel branch symbolizing peace.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

Cárdenas was hired as the lead play-by-play announcer while Jarrín shadowed him that first season before settling in as the No. 2 announcer.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026

It was a gloomy and primeval spot, deeply shadowed in the gray dusk.

From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien

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

Instead of shadowing wolves, ravens repeatedly returned to specific areas where kills were more common.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 19, 2026

That includes shadowing Chinese coastguard ships and responding to suspicious vessels lingering near Taiwan's subsea telecoms cables.

From Barron's ● Nov. 11, 2025

In August the RAF, working with US and Norwegian P-8s, tracked a Russian submarine shadowing an American aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, on exercise in the North Atlantic.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2025

Robb turned the big grey stallion and walked him slowly away from her, Grey Wind shadowing his steps.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Related Words

• dark
• gloom
• obscurity
• shade