shading

American  

[shey-ding] / ˈʃeɪ dɪŋ /

noun

1. a slight variation or difference of color, character, etc.

2. the act of a person or thing that shades.

3. the representation of the different values of color or light and dark in a painting or drawing.

---

shading British  

/ ˈʃeɪdɪŋ /

noun

1. the graded areas of tone, lines, dots, etc, indicating light and dark in a painting or drawing

---

Etymology

Origin of shading

First recorded in 1605–15; shade + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Those branches carry our eyes toward the dark masses of leaves, their green shading to black, and the brilliantly blue night sky, punctuated by numerous stars.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

But when the storytelling gets too stately, her cast brings the necessary shading.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

Their tackle success was down at 76% and despite shading 22 entries 17 to 12, they had little of Bristol's attacking glint, until Marcus Smith jinked over late on with the game already gone.

From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025

The painter’s technical brilliance is evident in the soft shading of features and the depiction of multiple layers of transparent fabric.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

She straightened up, shading her eyes from the noonday sun with one dirt-smeared hand, and slowly the rider came into focus: a green cloak, a bay horse, a shock of dark hair.

From "Ash" by Malinda Lo

Related Words

• complexion