SHADOWS Synonyms: 131 Similar and Opposite Words

shadows 1 of 2

noun

plural of shadow

as in dark

a time or place of little or no light lurking in the shadows

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shadows

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of shadow

as in chases

to go after or on the track of shadowing the suspect to see what he was up to

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in blurs

to make dark, dim, or indistinct thickening clouds shadowed the countryside

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in shades

to shelter (something) from light and heat a pathway shadowed by a canopy of arching branches

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 shadows

Noun

Serra’s immersive event, a rapture of colors and shadows, pays fittingly grandiose tribute to an emissary of a legendary cinematic era. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026 The regulatory framework — not the smell itself — determines whether cannabis use happens in the open under reasonable rules or in the shadows with none at all. — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 The shimmers are designed to be worn on their own or with the solid shadows. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 10 Aug. 2026 For the rest, the military has influenced governments from the shadows, propping up civilian governments and tearing them down as needed. — Hasan Ali, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Aug. 2026 People can see projections of the eclipse using a tool like a pinhole projector with a small opening or colander, showing shadows of the eclipse on the ground. — Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 9 Aug. 2026 That’s largely been the driving force behind Alexander bringing back New Radicals, which has been slowly emerging from the shadows over the past few years. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 During an eclipse, there are environmental changes such as shifting light and shadows and can be unusual animal behavior. — Lucie McCormick, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026 Why not also try to capture the moon using a DSLR camera and a telephoto lens in the weeks that follow and track how the shifting shadows alter its appearance? — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Verb

An unusually tight security detail shadows Rodríguez’s every step. — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 30 July 2026 While darker colors remained visible, they could be mistaken for dirt, debris, or shadows underwater. — Cody Godwin, USA Today, 1 May 2026 My driver slowed on purpose, timing the arrival for that late-afternoon light when the stucco warms and shadows sharpen. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026 The corridor before him seems never-ending, extending miles, shadows short and dark, shadows light and long. — Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026 Through it all, Kate and William balanced expanding royal duties with school runs and family life, even as illness still shadows the monarchy. — Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025 However, Quinyon Mitchell has taken a step up this season and shadows the NFL’s best receiver. — Zach Berman, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025 If Gonzalez shadows Panthers rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina’s leading receiver, their battle could swing critical moments and perhaps the game. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 28 Sep. 2025 The movie’s ensemble also includes Alicia Vikander, Jeffrey Wright, and Tom Sturridge, but this is said to be Dano’s show, with Law’s Putin a malevolent presence who shadows his every move. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shadows

Noun

Perseus Rising in the northeast after dark, Perseus is not the easiest constellation to make sense of, but its rich star fields are hard to miss.

— Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Nautical North, Cheboygan, Michigan (Lake Huron) Nautical North’s Shipwreck Tour threads past four lighthouses and three wrecks on the Cheboygan River, with a snorkeling add-on and sunset cruises that light the wrecks up after dark.

— Stacy Conde, Midwest Living, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of dark

Verb

With Blair determined to stop him, while Leighton relentlessly chases his grand vision of creating a perfect world.

— Jeff Spry, Space.com, 5 Aug. 2026
All that guessing will create herding and noise trading as the crowd chases the crowd like a dog chases its tail, in a futile attempt to get ahead of the next unpredictable change in what humors the Big Player.

— Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of chases

Verb

Mistral’s expanding verticals also include defense, a contentious territory as critics, including the pope, warn that the use of AI in battlefield decisions presents unacceptable risks and blurs accountability.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
Midway through, colors briefly appeared richer and moving objects left trails in his vision, like speed blurs.

— Kimon de Greef, Longreads, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of blurs

Verb

The Great Lakes’ piping plover population reached an all-time low of about 13 pairs in the 1980s after habitat loss due to beach development, according to Chicago Piping Plovers, which tracks the birds.

— Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
This measure tracks swings in a broad collection of business output of goods and services, adjusted for inflation.

— Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of tracks

Verb

When the moon obscures most of the sun just before totality, leaving only a thin sliver of sunlight, the turbulence becomes visible.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Casting Gen Z’s reactions as nihilistic obscures the values and institutional distrust connected to them and fails to appreciate their egalitarian and pragmatic ideals.

— Evan Clarkson, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of obscures

Browse Nearby Words

shadowlike

shadows

shadowy

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Shadows.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shadows. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of shadows

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on shadows

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

vacuous

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes