shady
adjective
ˈshā-dē 
shadier; shadiest
1
: producing or affording shade
2
: sheltered from the sun's rays
3
a
: of questionable merit : uncertain, unreliable
b
: disreputable
shadily
ˈshā-ə-lē
adverb shadiness
ˈshā-dē-nəs
noun 
Synonyms
- shaded
- shadowed
- shadowy
- umbrageous
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Their backyard is nice and shady. I don't trust him. He seems like a pretty shady character.
Recent Examples on the Web Tatiana Siegel used the same investigative-journalism approach that’s seemed shady ever since Woodward and Bernstein glorified themselves for taking down Nixon’s presidency. 
Armond White, National Review, 29 July 2022 If an established patch of bulbs starts to bloom less or begins blooming sparsely, the bulbs may have become overcrowded, or the planting site too shady as adjacent trees have grown. Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2022 Not paying taxes, or engaging in shady accounting practices, can be apocalyptic during an audit. Mauricio Rosero, Forbes, 22 June 2022 Now in a moister microclimate, the environment shifts from sunny and spiny to shady and succulent. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 7 Aug. 2022 However, no outdoor entertaining space is complete without a shady and comfortable space to lounge. Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2022 It’s not actually a single theory but, rather, a grab bag of possible scenarios by which the virus might have been unleashed on the world—all of them implying some level of shady or incompetent behavior by Chinese scientists. Lindsay Beyerstein, The New Republic, 10 Dec. 2021 Using vertical space in a shady area is the best way to keep them in prime condition. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2022 This approach is far different than a typical heat index, which calculates temperature and humidity in a shady area. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 21 July 2022 See More
Armond White, National Review, 29 July 2022 If an established patch of bulbs starts to bloom less or begins blooming sparsely, the bulbs may have become overcrowded, or the planting site too shady as adjacent trees have grown. Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2022 Not paying taxes, or engaging in shady accounting practices, can be apocalyptic during an audit. Mauricio Rosero, Forbes, 22 June 2022 Now in a moister microclimate, the environment shifts from sunny and spiny to shady and succulent. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 7 Aug. 2022 However, no outdoor entertaining space is complete without a shady and comfortable space to lounge. Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2022 It’s not actually a single theory but, rather, a grab bag of possible scenarios by which the virus might have been unleashed on the world—all of them implying some level of shady or incompetent behavior by Chinese scientists. Lindsay Beyerstein, The New Republic, 10 Dec. 2021 Using vertical space in a shady area is the best way to keep them in prime condition. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2022 This approach is far different than a typical heat index, which calculates temperature and humidity in a shady area. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 21 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
shady
adjective
ˈshā-dē
shadier; shadiest
1
: sheltered from the sun's rays
2
: producing shade
a shady tree
3
: not right or honest
shady business deals
shady
adjective
1
as in shaded
protected from the sun's rays a lovely shady spot in the park that was pleasantly cool Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- shaded
- shadowy
- shadowed
- sheltered
- umbrageous
- darkened
- dark
- canopied
- murky
- dim
- covered
- dimmed
- somber
- obscure
- obscured
- dusky
- darkish
- gloomy
- cloudy
- darksome
- darkling
- moonless
- penumbral
- sunless
- inky
- sombre
- pitch-dark
- pitch-black
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sunny
- brilliant
- exposed
- light
- bright
- dazzling
- shadeless
- luminous
- lighted
- illuminated
- shining
- lit
- lucid
- lucent
- incandescent
- illumined
- radiant
- effulgent
- luminary
- lambent
- lustrous
- bedazzling
- brightened
- beaming
2
as in deceptive
given to or marked by cheating and deception a shady business deal Synonyms & Similar Words
- deceptive
- fraudulent
- crooked
- dishonest
- shifty
- underhanded
- duplicitous
- rogue
- fast
- underhand
- false
- unscrupulous
- guileful
- unethical
- bent
- treacherous
- artful
- deceitful
- double-dealing
- unprincipled
- sharp
- deceiving
- subtle
- sneaky
- cunning
- wily
- sly
- unconscionable
- slippery
- devious
- cagey
- slick
- insidious
- tricky
- beguiling
- crafty
- delusive
- furtive
- delusory
- foxy
- perfidious
- defrauding
- sneaking
- cagy
- deluding
- trickish
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- honest
- ethical
- honorable
- straight
- decent
- scrupulous
- aboveboard
- upright
- conscientious
- just
- forthright
- straightforward
3
as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged cited some shady statistics to back up his argument Synonyms & Similar Words
- questionable
- dubious
- suspicious
- disputable
- problematic
- doubtful
- suspect
- debatable
- problematical
- fishy
- dodgy
- ambiguous
- shaky
- alleged
- queer
- equivocal
- unclear
- supposed
- dubitable
- doubtable
- weak
- unlikely
- uncertain
- improbable
- flimsy
- moot
- so-called
- undetermined
- open
- undecided
- far-fetched
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- certain
- unproblematic
- sure
- unquestionable
- indisputable
- undeniable
- incontestable
- indubitable
- questionless
- undoubted
- obvious
- positive
- decisive
- clear
- definitive
- hands-down
- open-and-shut
4
as in shifty
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions shady characters hanging out in the park after nightfall Synonyms & Similar Words
- shifty
- sneaky
- dark
- crooked
- secretive
- deceptive
- clandestine
- sly
- slippery
- furtive
- stealthy
- sneaking
- treacherous
- cheating
- dishonest
- lying
- slick
- devious
- cunning
- deceitful
- underhanded
- wily
- duplicitous
- untrustworthy
- devious
- artful
- close
- crafty
- guileful
- covert
- tricky
- insidious
- foxy
- underhand
- mendacious
- closemouthed
- deceiving
- perfidious
- untruthful
- reticent
- trickish
- two-faced
- defrauding
- serpentine
- dissembling
- knavish
- double-dealing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- forthright
- straightforward
- open
- direct
- plain
- frank
- aboveboard
- candid
- trustworthy
- honest
- truthful
- plainspoken
- foursquare
5
as in notorious
not respectable a courtesan who lived on the shady fringe of society Synonyms & Similar Words
- notorious
- infamous
- criminal
- disreputable
- immoral
- shameful
- shoddy
- disgraceful
- bad
- dishonorable
- discreditable
- louche
- ignominious
- dirty
- corrupt
- unethical
- sordid
- unrespectable
- opprobrious
- unsavory
- shy
- nefarious
- low
- vile
- seamy
- vicious
- wicked
- evil
- despicable
- wrong
- rotten
- villainous
- detestable
- iniquitous
- miserable
- contemptible
- sinful
- reprehensible
- mean
- base
- wretched
- perverted
- depraved
- inglorious
- dissolute
- unrighteous
- debauched
- degenerate
- loose
- libertine
- censurable
- reprobate
- blameworthy
- debased
- blamable
- gamy
- gamey
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- reputable
- good
- honorable
- respectable
- ethical
- noble
- decent
- honest
- legal
- moral
- righteous
- upright
- just
- prestigious
- respected
- reputed
- esteemed
- proper
- permissible
- upstanding
- permitted
- clean
- authorized
- licensed
- correct
- principled
- endorsed
- approved
- decorous
- exemplary
- blameless
- creditable
- sanctioned
- commendable
- seemly
- indorsed
- guiltless
- black blowfly
- black blueberry
- black bone
- black bonito
- black bonnet
- black book
- black bottle
- black bottom
- black box
- black brant
- black bread
- black bream
- black bryony
- black buffalo
- black bullhead
- black bunch grass
- black cabbage
- black cabbage tree
- black caiman
- black cake
- black calabash
- black calla
- black cancer
- black canker
- Black Canyon