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shadowy

shadowy

18 3.3
A place that is partly dark because of shade
  • adjective
  • /ˈʃædoʊi/
translation icon : sombrío
  • The shadowy corners of the room made it seem haunted and eerie.
  • shadowy room

Snow coated branches, shadowy black and white striped tree trunks.

Examples

  • Then she settled back into her shadowy corner and wrapped her thin arms around herself.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The Owl took them down its length, saying nothing, lean and shadowy against the faint wash of brightness.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • It's a little dark in the shadowy areas, but for the most part it looks clean.

  • That music tells of the dark evil things, shadowy places.

  • That shadowy figure could be anywhere.

  • Just walk into the dark, shadowy part of the forest... where no one can see you.

  • At a picnic table under a tree, a shadowy cluster of women watch.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • But even that dullard's eyes widened as a shadowy form moved through the door.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Not for several seconds did she realize that the shadowy forms darting between the lodges were warriors.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • As they disappeared into the woods, they glanced back to see shadowy figures advancing on their tent.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

dark
vsshadowy
1.0

With little or no light and not bright

indicates a milder state of being partly obscured by shade
shady
vsshadowy
17 1.0

Sheltered from direct sunlight and pleasantly cool

simply indicates a place is partly obscured by shade
murky
vsshadowy
16 4.9

A place that is dark and hard to see because of low light or fog

focuses on partial shade causing reduced light, not haze causes
dusky
vsshadowy
6 4.7

Dim light like the sky just after the sun goes down

is about simple partial shade rather than twilight atmosphere
darkish
vsshadowy
1 2.0

A little less light in color than usual

conveys reduced light or partial obscuring rather than color only
shadowed
vsshadowy
3.5

Darker because something blocks the light

is partly obscured by shade rather than deeply covered by it
umbrageous
vsshadowy
  • Literature
9.9

Full of shade from trees

is the everyday idea of being partly obscured by shade
umbrous
vsshadowy
  • Archaic
9.9

A place that is dark because trees or buildings make shade

means only partial obscuring by shade, not strong coverage
semishady
vsshadowy
6.9

Partly shaded and receiving some direct sunlight

focuses on being partly obscured by shade without protection sense
shadowlike
vsshadowy
5.5

Appears dark and faint, like a shape with unclear edges

refers to actual partial obscuring by shade rather than resemblance
dusky-colored
vsshadowy
5.5

Having a soft dark color like the sky at dusk

describes actual reduced light or partial obscuring by shade
darkened
vsshadowy
3.4

A place with less light than usual

describes being naturally partly obscured by incoming shade

Antonyms

866 1.0

Free from things that block sight or movement

459 1.0

Full of strong light that makes a place easy to see

Compounds

A dim part of a room or place where people cannot see well

A secret agreement that is dishonest or illegal

How Dark

pitch-dark
4 3.4
gloomy
16 2.3
shadowy
18 3.3
shaded
1 1.6
bright
459 1.0

Surface Forms

shadowy positive
shadowier comparative
shadowiest superlative

Morphology

shadowy = shadow (transparent) = shadow + y

This is the literal adjectival derivation meaning 'full of or characterized by shadows', which is transparent from the base noun.

Etymology

Shadowy comes from shadow ('shade' or 'dark shape') and the ending -y ('full of'). So a shadowy corridor is one that is full of shade and partly dark.