The sky is a hazy shade of winter.
Source: tatoeba (18287)
Shade
/ʃeɪd/
Synonyms for "shade" (556 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (112)
Noun(24 words)
tinttoneaquamarinesaquatintbevelblanchingblindsblockbowerbutterscotchcanopiescanopyingcarportcimmeriancinnamoncloudscolorcolor changingcolor drawingcolor the indicator
Show 4 more words
achromatismadmixtureadumbrationairamountanimaanima humanaapparitionappearanceapply paintastralastral spiritatmanatomawningbabaldacchinobaldachinbansheebeat
Show 62 more words
becloudbedarkenbedaubbedimbedizenbefogbegildbegloombelvederebemistbesmearbesmirchbestbetterbitblackblack outblackenblacknessblackwashblanketblendblindblock the lightblotblot outblotchbogeybreathbreath of lifebrownbrush on paintbuddhicalciminecalibercamouflagecanopycartooncastcast a shadowchalkcharcoalchromatismchromismclabber upcloakcloudcloud overcloud upcoatcolorcolor balancecolor harmonycolor schemecolorationcoloringcompasscomplexionconcealcontrolcopycork
Verb(5 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (166)
covercover upcoveringcrayoncrosshatchcurtaincutdabdark shadedarkendarken overdarknessdashdash offdaubdecorator colordeep-dyedefensedegreedelineate
Show 120 more words
delusiondenigratedeparted spiritdepictdescantdesigndiagramdiapasondifferencedimdim outdimnessdingedipdisembodied spiritdisguisedissembledistemperdistinctiondistract attention fromdivine breathdoodledouble-dyedraftdrapedraperydrawdraw the curtainsduppyduskduskinessdybbukdyeebonizeeclipseegoeidolonemblazonenamelencloudencompass with shadowengildenmistensconceenshroudenvelopexceedextenteyefacefantasyfast-dyefigment of the imaginationfigurefogformfractionfrescogazeboghostgildglazegleamgloomgloominessglossgloss overgradationgradegraingrateful deadguardguidehairhanthathatchhaunthazeheartheighthidehinthuehumoriideaidolumilluminateimageimbueimmaterialityincorporealincorporeal beingincorporeityinfusioningraininkinklinginner manintensityintervalintimationiotajalousiejapanjivajivatmajotkeep under coverkeykhulacquerlamp shadelarvalaylay on colorleapleelemures
Noun(18 words)
Adjective(3 words)
Related words (278)
levellicklimnlookmanesmarkmasanmaskmaterializationmeasuremelanizemelodiamere shadowmindmistmodicummurkmurkinessnatural colornephesh
Show 204 more words
nigrifynotchnuancenubilateobfuscateobnubilateobscurationobscureobscurityobumbrateoccultoccultateoniopaqueoutclassoutdooutperformoutplayoutshineoutstripovercastovercloudovershadowoversmokeovertonepaintpaint a picturepallorparasolpargetpaspegpencilpenumbraperiodphantasmphantasmaphantasmagoriaphantompicturepicturizepigmentpitchpith helmetplaneplateaupneumapointpoltergeistportraypresencepreservationprimeproportionprotectprotectionprotective custodypsychepurushaput to shamerangeratioreachrefugeremoverevenantroofroundruachrungsafekeepingsafetysaturationsaucescalescintillascopescratchscreenscumbleseasoningselfshade treeshadesshadinessshadowshadows numberlessshapeshellacsheltershieldshow upshroudshrouded spiritshuttersilhouettesipsketchskiagramskiagraphskin colorslop on paintslur oversmacksmatteringsmearsmellsmidgensmidginsmirchsmogsmokesmudgesmutsmutchsombersootsoulsoupconspacesparkspeckspecterspectral ghostspectrumspicespiritspiritual beingspiritusspooksprinklingspritestainstairstandardstencilstepstintstipplestraystreaksuggestionsummerhousesun hatsun helmetsunbonnetsunshadesupsurpasssuspiciontainttastetempertemperingtentthe selftheophanythoughttincttincturetingetinttittletonetopeetouchtracetreadtrifletunetwangumbraumbrageumbrageousnessumbrellaundercoatundercolorundertoneunsubstantialityvariationvarietyvarnishveilveinvenetian blindvestigevisionvisorwaking dreamwalking dead manwandering soulwarblewashwatchful eyewhiffwhisperwhitewashwildest dreamwindow curtainwindow screenwindow shadewinkwraithzombie
Noun(43 words)
Verb(7 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: tint, tone, achromatism, admixture, adumbrating.
- Sentence evidence is available for shade, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "shade".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "shade"
Keep "shade" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "shade" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "shade", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "shade" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
41 entriesShowing 16 of 41 words.
More specific
16 entriesCollocations
11 entriesawning shadeblock sunlightdark shadelight shadeprovide shadeshade clothshade structureshade the windowshaded areatree shadewindow shade
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriesTranslations
41 translations across 18 languages.
Bulgarian
1 entries- засенчвам verb (to shield from light)
Catalan
4 entries- espectre noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- esperit noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- ombra noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- ombrar verb (to shield from light)
Dutch
4 entries- geest noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- schaduw noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- schim noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- spook noun (ghost — see also ghost)
Esperanto
1 entries- ombri verb (to shield from light)
Finnish
2 entries- haamu noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- varjostaa verb (to shield from light)
French
4 entries- esprit noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- ombre noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- faire de l'ombre verb (to shield from light)
- ombrager verb (to shield from light)
Friulian
1 entries- ombrî verb (to shield from light)
Hebrew
1 entries- הֵצֵל verb (to shield from light)
Italian
4 entries- fantasma noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- ombra noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- spettro noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- fare ombra verb (to shield from light)
Latin
2 entries- opācō verb (to shield from light)
- umbrō verb (to shield from light)
Macedonian
2 entries- сениште noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- засенува verb (to shield from light)
Māori
2 entries- kōpare verb (to shield from light)
- whakamarumaru verb (to shield from light)
Old English
1 entries- sceadwian verb (to shield from light)
Portuguese
3 entries- espectro noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- sombra noun (ghost — see also ghost)
- sombrear verb (to shield from light)
Romanian
2 entries- adumbri verb (to shield from light)
- umbri verb (to shield from light)
Russian
1 entries- затеня́ть verb (to shield from light)
Spanish
2 entries- ensombrecer verb (to shield from light)
- sombrear verb (to shield from light)
Swedish
1 entries- skugga verb (to shield from light)
Sample sentences
49 total sentences available.
A parasol is used during the summertime to shade the face.
Source: tatoeba (35088)
Nancy is a shade darker than Helen.
Source: tatoeba (36187)
Nancy is a shade darker than Helen is.
Source: tatoeba (36188)
Showing 4 of 49 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "shade"?
Closest matches include tint, tone, achromatism, admixture, adumbrating.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "shade"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.