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View synonyms for shady

shady

[ shey-dee ]

adjective

, shad·i·er, shad·i·est.
  1. abounding in shade; shaded: shade:

    shady paths.

  2. giving shade:

    a shady tree.

  3. shadowy; indistinct; spectral.
  4. of dubious character; rather disreputable:

    shady dealings.



shady

/ ˈʃeɪdɪ /

adjective

  1. full of shade; shaded
  2. affording or casting a shade
  3. dim, quiet, or concealed
  4. informal.
    dubious or questionable as to honesty or legality
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Derived Forms

  • ˈshadily, adverb
  • ˈshadiness, noun
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Other Words From

  • shadi·ly adverb
  • shadi·ness noun
  • un·shadi·ly adverb
  • un·shadi·ness noun
  • un·shady adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of shady1

First recorded in 1570–80; shade + -y 1
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. on the shady side of, Informal. beyond (the specified age); more than:

    on the shady side of 40.

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Example Sentences

If you want to hear about some shady mass pet cremations, listen to Freakonomics Radio Ep.

This should remove shady apps, block unauthorized access, and put you back in control.

App platforms like Apple and Google have struggled with shady ad businesses for years, which target their own customers.

A broader, stockier structure covered with light brush can give you a shady, ventilated shelter for hot, dry climates.

In any case, don’t fall victim to shady backlink providers or freelancers, who are willing to do the job for cheap.

The relationships, and motivations of their chief participants, are as tangled and shady as you expect of the super-rich.

Allison and Cole have lost a child, his family is shady, and his mother domineering.

Dr. Edwards warns that Dawn is not acting out of the kindness of her heart—but then again, Dr. Edwards is shady as hell, too.

The old culture of the Party of Regions—its lack of transparency, the graft and the shady deal making—has returned.

Ruth Shady isn't my anything; she is her own, completely original force in archaeology.

On a stone bench against the shady wall Aristide and Mrs. Ducksmith sat down to rest.

Tom bathed and changed his clothes, then drove down to the shady garden beside the river as of old.

These dwarf trees are very prevalent in their gardens, and preferred to the most magnificent and shady trees of a natural size.

Marie, at the moment, is no doubt with the children of the rich Count, in a shady spot near the music.

Then they came to an Italian garden with a fountain in the middle, and a shady little wood around the edge.

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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.

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