adjective
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full of shade; shaded
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affording or casting a shade
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dim, quiet, or concealed
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informal dubious or questionable as to honesty or legality
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of shady
Explanation
Any place that's protected from the glare and heat of the sun is shady, as in a "shady nook." But as its darkened nature implies, shady has the equally popular meaning of "suspicious, dangerous, or deceitful." A "shady character" is up to no good. The metaphorical meaning of shady has long been embraced by slang. Since at least the 1950's, the phrase "got it made in the shade" means having a great and easy life or job (picture eastern sultans being shaded by servants holding giant leaves). The rap sultan Eminem calls his evil alter-ego "Slim Shady," conjuring up a devilish suggestion of the Prince of Darkness himself — someone who definitely lives in a shady neighborhood.
Vocabulary lists containing shady
"To an Athlete Dying Young" by A. E. Housman
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Lights Out: Synonyms for "Dark"
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Way Off: Synonyms for "Wrong"
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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.
See Examples For:
But can the group trust its shady employers?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
I never would have guessed that a tree-planting company would turn out to be … shady.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
"We've already lost trees," said Rosie Fyles, head of gardens at Chiswick House in west London, whose Kent-designed shady lawns dotted with statues and cedars of Lebanon date back to the 18th century.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
"Bottled water gets hot in about five minutes in the sun, but it can be quite shady standing here," he says.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
It was shady and luxurious, with tall shutters and a big, cool porch—everyone from Rudyard Kipling to FDR had stayed there—but it wasn’t much bigger than a big private house.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
What’s stopping us from building a shadier world?
From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2025
When Andy Morling heard about a revolutionary new weight-loss cure on the BBC last spring, he figured it might spark a shadier market for fakes.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 15, 2024
A staple favourite for a shadier spot in the garden, the much-loved foxglove's floral beauty comes with a dark side.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2023
On the steeper, shadier canyon on the eastern side, plantings reflect upper and lower montane areas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2022
It was hotter than last time, so Angelo felt the pigs would be keeping to the shadier parts of the property.
From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan
Meanwhile a mobile app developed by an undergraduate to direct people to the shadiest walking paths has gained traction online, particularly among students.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
If planted in part-sun, they are likely to stay small and stunted, so give these your shadiest spot.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 9, 2023
Messier was one of the shadiest and most unethical plastic surgeons on Park Avenue.
From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2018
At the Bob Rudd Community Center in Pahrump, voter traffic was heavy as people sought the shadiest path possible to cast their ballots.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 13, 2018
There were still traces of grainy old snowbanks in the shadiest spots, but in places the sun was actually hot.
From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
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.
