adjective
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full of shadows; dark; shady
-
resembling a shadow in faintness; vague
-
illusory or imaginary
-
mysterious or secretive
a shadowy underworld figure
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of shadowy
First recorded in 1325–75, shadowy is from the Middle English word shadewy. See shadow, -y 1
Explanation
The adjective shadowy is good for describing things that are mysterious or hard to see, like a dim figure in the fog or the social rules of a typical middle school. Indistinct or faint objects are shadowy, whether they're distant people standing in a dark alley or birds you can barely see against the choppy surface of the ocean. You can also describe something that's ghostly or unreal as shadowy. A shadowy room or a shadowy figure brushing past you would both be insubstantial and vaguely spooky. The root of shadowy is the Old English word sceadu, "shade, shadow, or darkness."
Vocabulary lists containing shadowy
"Ode to the Table" by Pablo Neruda
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The One and Only Ivan
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The Wild Robot
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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.
Obsessing over him, adrift and unmoored in the shadowy rooms they once shared, Olga quickly loses the ability to navigate her days.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026
A man representing Schlesinger, dressed in white slacks, polished loafers and a dark pinkish-red blazer stands at the edge of the pool, near its shadowy edges, staring down at the swimmer.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026
The drama is thought to be an homage to the film noir style - a hallmark in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s, with its shadowy looks and gritty plots.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
He is currently embracing shadowy cryptocurrency schemes that are generating massive profits.
From Salon • May 13, 2026
They stuck to the quiet, shadowy bit underneath the slide, where they talked about their favorite metal bands.
From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
