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sunshade

American  
[suhn-sheyd] / ˈsʌnˌʃeɪd /

noun

  • sunshades
    plural
  1. something used as a protection from the rays of the sun, as an awning or a parasol.


sunshade British  
/ ˈsʌnˌʃeɪd /

noun

  1. a device, esp a parasol or awning, serving to shade from the sun

"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

Usage

What does sunshade mean? Sunshade is a general term for something that’s intended to block sunshine and provide shade—something that shades you from the sun. Things that could be called a sunshade include an awning (like in a stadium or on the back of your house), a parasol (one of those umbrellas used for shade), and that thing you put on the inside of your car’s windshield so the car doesn’t so get so hot in the sun. Although the word shades is a slang term for sunglasses, the word sunshade does not typically refer to sunglasses. Example: I don’t want to get a sunburn while sitting on the deck, so I’m going to install some kind of sunshade.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of sunshade

First recorded in 1835–45; sun + shade

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:

They’ve raised concerns about a sunshade placed over the dock, a wooden walkway to connect the restaurant to handicap parking spots, and a wedding that was held on site.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 24, 2026

If you do go out in the heat, use a parasol or sunshade.

From BBC Jun. 19, 2026

It comes in black, blue and green with an SPF sunshade for baby.

From Seattle Times Jun. 5, 2024

Beneath a tarp sunshade, Apiñas began cooking eggs and toasting bread while the children used water from a bucket to wash their face and brush their teeth.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 21, 2024

He rigged the towel to the boom to act as a sunshade and brought a bunk cushion up.

From "The Voyage Of The Frog" by Gary Paulsen

The firm designed a sandy-hued building with metal downspouts and horizontal sunshades made of weathered steel.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 12, 2026

Naidorf notes the building’s porcelain enamel sunshades with carefully spaced gaps to play with light and shadow.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 21, 2023

But a wagon can restore that simplicity: It’s a great way to lug toys, sunshades and chairs over sandy hillocks.

From New York Times Jul. 1, 2023

Right out of the gate on the base model, the 2023 G90 luxury sedan comes standard with power side and rear sunshades to make you feel like a celebrity.

From Seattle Times Dec. 28, 2022

A garden of Belle-roses reaches up toward a dark sky, their petals large and rich as sunshades, their thorns glistening like arrows.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

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