adjective
-
full of shadows; dark; shady
-
resembling a shadow in faintness; vague
-
illusory or imaginary
-
mysterious or secretive
a shadowy underworld figure
Other Word Forms
- shadowiness noun
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The One and Only Ivan
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Wild Robot
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Arbitration has also become a massive phenomenon, siphoning countless cases off from the courts into a shadowy, opaque system that nobody can ever truly fully observe.
From Slate • Apr. 27, 2026
And from the shadowy, crystal-studded darkness Goth Yoga LA was born.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026
Shifting objectives and shadowy activity by vessels making the success of the US operation hard to measure.
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
Instead, she has to take a shadowy job as an “independent contractor.”
From Salon • Apr. 17, 2026
Pushing off from the shore, the camaradas paddled the dugouts, sliding through the smooth, dark water and moving briskly toward the shadowy forest in the horizon.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
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.
