shadowy

[shad-oh-ee]

adjective

shadowier, shadowiest 

1. resembling a shadow in faintness, slightness, etc..

   shadowy outlines.

2. unsubstantial, unreal, or illusory.

   shadowy preoccupations.

3. abounding in shadow; shady.

   a shadowy path.

4. enveloped in shadow.

5. casting a shadow.

shadowy

/ ˈʃædəʊɪ /

adjective

1. full of shadows; dark; shady

2. resembling a shadow in faintness; vague

3. illusory or imaginary

4. mysterious or secretive

   a shadowy underworld figure

Other Word Forms

• shadowiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of shadowy¹

First recorded in 1325–75, shadowy is from the Middle English word shadewy. See shadow, -y ¹

Example Sentences

The monkey hangs close to streetlamps rather than retreating to any of the neighborhood’s shadowy smatterings of trees.

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Only a silent, shadowy maze of tall trees, blocking out the dim light of dawn.

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She surveyed the empty fields and tried to peek into the shadowy folds of the forest.

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From this vantage point, he could see the stash under his bed—the canned and boxed goods pushed against the wall, like shadowy towers.

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Will the shots be shadowy, overexposed or just right?

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Related Words

• dark 
• ghostly 
• shady