1
as in shade
partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays
the valley was in shadow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in black
shadows plural
a time or place of little or no light
lurking in the shadows
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in trace
a tiny often physical indication of something lost or vanished
a run-down mansion that is only a shadow of its former glory
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in glimmer
a very small amount
not even a shadow of a doubt about the defendant's guilt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in ghost
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people
rumors of a shadow haunting the castle
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to chase
to go after or on the track of
shadowing the suspect to see what he was up to
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
thickening clouds shadowed the countryside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shadow
Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
New satellite imagery shows what appears to be Iran’s shadow fleet operating in the South China Sea, transferring oil via ship-to-ship to tankers possibly bound for China.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 29 Dec. 2025
The lunar surface offers permanently shadowed craters at -173 °C, which may make cooling easier (although the lack of atmosphere makes thermal radiation challenging).
—Dina Genkina, IEEE Spectrum, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shadow
Noun
There are long shadows on the ground.
—Verb
McCullar shadowed all-star Trae Young, who scored just nine points total, none when guarded by the former KU standout.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for shadow
Noun
-
Available in 10 wear-with-anything shades, including black, army green, and brown, the shacket has earned praise from shoppers who call out its high-quality construction and trendy yet comfortable design in their reviews.—
-
For more swoon-worthy savings, look no further than the Sam Edelman Women’s Talia Slip-on Shoes, which are a breeze to get on thanks to adjustable velcro straps, and also come in a vacation-ready French Burgundy shade.—
Noun
-
Ariana Grande stunned in a dramatic black Vivienne Westwood Couture ball gown that featured draping velvet straps tied in bows at the shoulders.—
-
Grab it in olive green, creamy white, or classic black.—
Noun
-
Development on Titanique traces back a decade, when Mindelle, Rousouli and co-creator Ty Blue (Titanique's director) dreamed up the show and staged a concert presentation in.—
-
Some fruit pits and seeds, like those in apples and pears, contain traces of cyanide, which is harmful to birds.—
Noun
-
That’s when Niue’s glimmer of a tourist season, which coincides with winter in the Southern Hemisphere, springs into high gear.—
-
The good news, however, is that the agreement offers a glimmer of hope for users who want TikTok to stay for good.—
Noun
-
For the better part of eight years after Super Bowl 50, the Broncos were an organization with delusions of adequacy, fielding mediocre teams with major problems with ownership drama, mismanaged rosters, ghost drafts and an endless carousel of underwhelming quarterbacks.—
-
Tony Sparano, whom Ross inherited, Joe Philbin, Adam Gase, Brian Flores and Mike McDaniel are the ghosts who haunt this franchise.—
Noun
-
On-device processing keeps personal data local, while secure cloud services extend functionality with user control.—
-
That said, don’t wait for perfectly clear skies to head into the hills – even in bright, sunny weather, the Matterhorn loves playing peek-a-boo behind the clouds.—
Verb
-
Investigators later determined that a gray Dodge Charger began chasing the Toyota at a high rate of speed.—
-
Tech companies have also been chasing the next big product following the smartphone and think AI could be key to finding it.—
Verb
-
This International Dark Sky Park, located in southwest Texas, is about a six-hour drive from San Antonio, the nearest city, so there won't be much light pollution obscuring your views of the constellations.—
-
Medical issues and money woes can create a fog of anxiety that obscures the path forward.—
Cite this Entry
“Shadow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shadow. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share