It's getting more and more shadowy, soon it will be twilight.
Source: tatoeba (326863)
Shadowy
/ˈʃæd.oʊ.i/
Synonyms for "shadowy" (209 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (42)
Strong matches (63)
decarnatedecarnateddimdingydiscarnatedisembodieddisordereddreamlikedreamyduskyectoplasmicetherealethericextramundanefaintfanciedfancifulfatuitousfatuousfeeble
Show 37 more words
filmyfleetingfoggyfuzzygaseousgeneralghastlyghostishghostlikeghostlyghostygloomygossameryhalf-seenhalf-visiblehallucinatoryhazyhit-or-missill-definedillusoryimaginaryimaginedimmaterialimpalpableimponderableimpreciseinaccurateinchoateincoherentinconspicuousincorporateincorporealindecisiveindefinableindefiniteindeterminableindeterminate
Related words (104)
indistinctindistinguishableinexactinsubstantialintangiblelaxleafylooselow profilelow-profilemerely glimpsedmistymuddymurkynebulousnonmaterialnonphysicalnonspecificnotionalobscure
Show 68 more words
obumbrateobumbratedoccultopaqueorderlessotherworldlyout of focusovershadedovershadowedpalepenumbralphantasmalphantasmicphantomphantomicphantomlikepsychicpsychicalrandomrarefiedsemivisibleshadedshadowshadowed forthshadyshapelesssombrespecterlikespectralspiritualspirituousstochasticsubtilesubtlesunlesssupernaturalsuspectsweepingtenuoustranscendenttransitorytransmundanetwilightumbraluncertainunclearundefinedundestinedundeterminedunearthlyunembodiedunextendedunfleshlyunphysicalunplainunrealunrecognizableunspecifiedunsubstantialunworldlyvaguevaporousveiledvisionaryweakwindywraithlikewraithy
Adjective(14 words)
Noun(2 words)
twilightunregulated market
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: dim, vague, air built, air-built, airy.
- Sentence evidence is available for shadowy, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, 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 "shadowy".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "shadowy"
Keep "shadowy" 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 "shadowy" 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 "shadowy", 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 "shadowy" 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
6 entriesMore specific
10 entriesambiguitydimnessindeterminacyshadingshadowshadowy dealshadowy figureshadowy networkuncertaintyvagueness
Collocations
6 entriesshadowy cornersshadowy figureshadowy motivesshadowy organizationshadowy pastshadowy silhouette
Inflections
4 entriesDerivations
5 entriessimilar
5 entriesSample sentences
14 total sentences available.
The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?
Source: tatoeba (411037)
Maybe in another universe, beings are like clouds or shadows in a cloudy or shadowy milieu...
Source: tatoeba (1466048)
Once I walked through a golden valley that led to shadowy groves and ruins, and ended in a mighty wall green with antique vines, and pierced by a little gate of bronze.
Source: tatoeba (5749647)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "shadowy"?
Closest matches include dim, vague, air built, air-built, airy.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "shadowy"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.