shady

[shey-dee]

adjective

shadier, shadiest 

1. abounding in shade; shaded: shade.

   shady paths.

2. giving shade.

   a shady tree.

3. shadowy; indistinct; spectral.

4. of dubious character; rather disreputable.

   shady dealings.

shady

/ ˈʃeɪdɪ /

adjective

1. full of shade; shaded

2. affording or casting a shade

3. dim, quiet, or concealed

4. informal,  dubious or questionable as to honesty or legality

Other Word Forms

• shadily adverb
• shadiness noun
• unshadily adverb
• unshadiness noun
• unshady adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shady¹

First recorded in 1570–80; shade + -y ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. on the shady side of, beyond (the specified age); more than.

   on the shady side of 40.

Example Sentences

It quickly became clear that there were some shady characters operating in the timeshare resale sector.

Read more on BBC

Within hours of arriving in Venice, he begins to suspect that the city itself, with its disorienting streets and shady denizens, is somehow in cahoots with his sphinxlike wife to betray him.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And since coverage in parks is rare—a tree sometimes—all the skaters usually huddle in the same shady place, making chitchat inevitable.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Guadagnino makes Hank look so shady that it feels like a taunt: We’re dumb if we trust Hank and doubly dumb if he’s innocent.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

I was eager to see how criminals make these shady deals with potentially treacherous employees at a time when cyber-attacks around the world are becoming more impactful and disruptive to everyday life.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• crooked 
• dishonest 
• dubious 
• questionable 
• slippery 
• underhanded 
• unscrupulous