shad·ow
ˈsha-(ˌ)dō 
1
: the dark figure cast upon a surface by a body intercepting the rays from a source of light
2
: partial darkness or obscurity within a part of space from which rays from a source of light are cut off by an interposed opaque body
3
: a small degree or portion : trace
4
: an attenuated form or a vestigial remnant
5
a
: an inseparable companion or follower
b
: one (such as a spy or detective) who shadows someone
6
a
: an area near an object : vicinity
b
: pervasive and dominant influence
7
: a shaded or darker portion of a picture
8
: a reflected image
9
: shelter from danger or observation
10
a
: an imperfect and faint representation
b
: an imitation of something : copy
11
: phantom
12
13
: a source of gloom or unhappiness
14
: a state of ignominy or obscurity
shadowed; shadowing; shadows
1
: to cast a shadow upon : cloud
2
a
: to follow especially secretly : trail
b
: to accompany and observe especially in a professional setting
3
: to represent or indicate obscurely or faintly
—often used with forth or out
5
archaic
: shade sense 5
6
obsolete
: to shelter from the sun
7
obsolete
: conceal
1
: to pass gradually or by degrees
2
: to become overcast with or as if with shadows
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a shadow cabinet
shadow minister of defense
2
a
: having an indistinct pattern
shadow plaid
b
: having darker sections of design
shadow lace
Synonyms
Examples of shadow in a Sentence
Noun
The tree cast a long shadow across the lawn.
You can see your own shadow on a sunny day.
Part of the valley was in shadow.
He saw something moving in the shadows.
I sensed a shadow of disappointment in his expression.
Verb
Police shadowed the suspect for several days.
She spent the night shadowing other waiters at the restaurant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sonja Wind, Fortune Europe, 22 Apr. 2024
Iran and Israel have conducted a yearslong shadow war, but the conflict intensified on April 1, when Israeli warplanes killed seven Iranian officials, including three senior commanders, at an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria, which Israel asserts was used as a military site.
—Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
More:Israel's long-simmering conflict with Iran moves out of the shadows.
—Ingrid Melander, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
During 14 years on the run, Jose Luis Saenz had cast a shadow over his old Boyle Heights neighborhood.
—Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Every photograph suggests movement—even one that’s simply a shadow on golden straw.
—David Graver, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2024
His desire to live in the shadows remains a juxtaposition to his game.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2024
But while the Beijing Half Marathon was meant to build momentum and enthusiasm for He and Chinese running ahead of the Olympics, observers lament that the fiasco at the finish line has instead cast a shadow over the notion that Chinese sportsmen can actually win fair and square.
—TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
The decision by Iran’s leaders to strike at Israel directly has pushed the shadow war between the two regional foes into the open.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2024
The cathedral was as deep and shadowed as a canyon, full of drifting incense and the thrilling sound of low choral chanting.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
This record-breaking year for data breach cases in the United States was shadowed by an enormous ransomware attack on Change Healthcare in February.
—Brenna Gauchat, The Arizona Republic, 10 Apr. 2024
The south pole region is rocky and craggy and shadowed.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Apr. 2024
From the start, the new system has been shadowed by a lack of specifics on the responsibilities of the union and employers in the card check drive.
—Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
That describes Mark Anthony Walker, 61, of Dublin, Calif., whose experience with heart disease is shadowed by a troubling family history — his father died of a massive heart attack at age 47, his mother at age 48.
—Gina Kolata, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024
Johnson led the Spartans with nine points and four rebounds at the half and was 4-for-11 shooting while being shadowed by the Cardinal’s Talana Lepolo.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2024
Actually, speaking of The Post, Melissa [Benoist] shadowed Ashley Parker.
—Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024
Lisa Stardust, Glamour, 3 June 2022
The sooner, the better, as this transit has a pre-shadow period starting before the retrograde itself hits.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2021
The sooner, the better as this transit has a pre-shadow period starting before the retrograde itself hits.
—Meghan Ros, Glamour, 1 Sep. 2021
Noun
That prognosis is casting a shadow over a string of key meetings this week, including investor presentations in Beijing.
—Sonja Wind, Fortune Europe, 22 Apr. 2024
Iran and Israel have conducted a yearslong shadow war, but the conflict intensified on April 1, when Israeli warplanes killed seven Iranian officials, including three senior commanders, at an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria, which Israel asserts was used as a military site.
—Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
More:Israel's long-simmering conflict with Iran moves out of the shadows.
—Ingrid Melander, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
During 14 years on the run, Jose Luis Saenz had cast a shadow over his old Boyle Heights neighborhood.
—Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Every photograph suggests movement—even one that’s simply a shadow on golden straw.
—David Graver, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2024
His desire to live in the shadows remains a juxtaposition to his game.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2024
But while the Beijing Half Marathon was meant to build momentum and enthusiasm for He and Chinese running ahead of the Olympics, observers lament that the fiasco at the finish line has instead cast a shadow over the notion that Chinese sportsmen can actually win fair and square.
—TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
The decision by Iran’s leaders to strike at Israel directly has pushed the shadow war between the two regional foes into the open.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
Verb
Marković’s death remained unsolved, and Delon was thereafter shadowed, though never overshadowed, by an air of menace.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2024
The cathedral was as deep and shadowed as a canyon, full of drifting incense and the thrilling sound of low choral chanting.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
This record-breaking year for data breach cases in the United States was shadowed by an enormous ransomware attack on Change Healthcare in February.
—Brenna Gauchat, The Arizona Republic, 10 Apr. 2024
The south pole region is rocky and craggy and shadowed.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Apr. 2024
From the start, the new system has been shadowed by a lack of specifics on the responsibilities of the union and employers in the card check drive.
—Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
That describes Mark Anthony Walker, 61, of Dublin, Calif., whose experience with heart disease is shadowed by a troubling family history — his father died of a massive heart attack at age 47, his mother at age 48.
—Gina Kolata, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024
Johnson led the Spartans with nine points and four rebounds at the half and was 4-for-11 shooting while being shadowed by the Cardinal’s Talana Lepolo.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2024
Actually, speaking of The Post, Melissa [Benoist] shadowed Ashley Parker.
—Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The pre-shadow phase of the retrograde starts in motion the things that will affect us during the retrograde, so this is when the drama first manifests.
—Lisa Stardust, Glamour, 3 June 2022
The sooner, the better, as this transit has a pre-shadow period starting before the retrograde itself hits.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2021
The sooner, the better as this transit has a pre-shadow period starting before the retrograde itself hits.
—Meghan Ros, Glamour, 1 Sep. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shadow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near shadow
Cite this Entry
“Shadow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shadow. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shadow
1 of 2 noun
shad·ow
ˈshad-ō
1
: shade within certain bounds
the valley was in shadow
2
: a reflected image (as in a mirror)
3
: shelter from danger or view
4
a
: an imperfect and faint representation
b
: an imitation of something
5
: the dark figure cast on a surface by a body that is between the surface and the light
my shadow stays with me
6
7
plural
: darkness caused by the setting of the sun
twilight shadows
8
: a shaded part of a picture
10
a
: an inseparable companion or follower
b
: a person who shadows as a spy or detective
11
: a very little bit : trace
not a shadow of a doubt
12
: a source of gloom or unhappiness
Medical Definition
shadow
1 of 2 noun
shad·ow
ˈshad-(ˌ)ō, -ə(-w)
1
a
: partial darkness or obscurity within a part of space from which rays from a source of light are cut off by an interposed opaque body
b
: a dark outline or image on an X-ray photograph where the X-rays have been blocked by a radiopaque mass (as a tumor)
2
: a colorless or slightly pigmented or stained body (as a degenerate cell or empty membrane) only faintly visible under the microscope
shadow
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to perform shadow-casting on
freeze-dried and shadowed myosin molecules
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