adjective
shadowy
SHAD-oh-ee
adjective
1
Dim, dark, or full of shadows.
"A shadowy figure waited at the end of the alley."
"The old library had shadowy corners perfect for hiding."
2
Vague, secretive, or hard to pin down; suspicious in an unclear way.
"The report accused a shadowy organization of funding the campaign."
How to Use Shadowy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither literally dim and shadow-filled, or figuratively mysterious and secretive.
Common pairings
a shadowy figure
shadowy past
shadowy organization
Word Forms
shadowier comparative, shadowiest superlative
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Etymology
From Middle English schadwy, built from "shadow" plus "-y".