shade 1 of 2

noun

ˈshād How to pronounce shade (audio)
Definition of shadenext
1
as in shadow
partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays it was hard to see in the shade after being in the brilliant sunlight the trees cast shade

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shadows
a time or place of little or no light enjoying the cool shade of the evening

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hue
a property that becomes apparent when light falls on an object and by which things that are identical in form can be distinguished a lovely shade of blue

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in splash
a very small amount just a shade taller than his dance partner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in apparition
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people spirits and shades haunting the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

shade

2 of 2

verb

as in to protect
to shelter (something) from light and heat the trees shaded us quite nicely from the noonday sun

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shade
Noun
Saffron planting Reece Bailey Researchers also tested saffron under semi-transparent photovoltaic panels that provided 40% shade. — Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 With nine shades available—from translucent to shimmery to vibrant red—there’s truly something for everyone. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
The city’s authorities will prioritize protecting and improving parks, advertising public cool spaces during hot weather and expanding access to public toilets and water, as well as adding shading to public spaces. — Olivia Rudgard, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026 Tree branches that once shaded the sidewalk now pulled down a power line, dragging the light post to a 45-degree angle. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shade
  1. shadow
  2. shadows
  3. hue
  4. splash
  5. apparition
  6. protect
  7. dusk
  8. dark
Noun
  • Why not try to capture the moon using a DSLR camera and a telephoto lens when the Harvest Moon rises and in the weeks that follow to track how the shifting shadows alter its appearance?
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Larger backlight zones can allow light to spill into darker parts of the image, making blacks appear gray and reducing detail in shadows.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of shadow
Noun
  • Ivan’s room feels practically airless, his face obscured in shadows, or captured in hazy side profiles, as Anica’s bright, concerned gaze holds the frame’s focus.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026
  • While looking at the shadows, Crimmins allegedly maneuvered the grapple so that its shadow appeared to grab Lynch’s shadow.
    — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of shadows
Noun
  • Rather than synthetic dyes, General Mills is using colors derived from sources including fruits and vegetables, as well as spices such as turmeric and paprika, to maintain the familiar hues of its cereals.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
  • At maximum eclipse, much of the moon may take on an eerie reddish hue as sunlight filtered through Earth's atmosphere is refracted into the shadow and onto the lunar surface.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of hue
Noun
  • Sprouse’s first collections in the mid-1980s made a major splash, melding graffiti prints, a playful ’60s aesthetic, and bright Day-Glo colors that won admirers such as Andy Warhol.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The bagels are the creations of Moreira, who grew up in Argentina but learned quickly how to make bagels that caused a splash.
    — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of splash
Noun
  • One minute, the stubble field in front of his stand had been empty, and then suddenly, like an apparition, a whitetail buck had appeared.
    — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
  • That is, until miraculous apparitions turn it into a place to be.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 17 July 2026
Definition of apparition
Verb
  • Play was suspended on the outside courts, but the roofs could close on Armstrong and Ashe, protecting Bublik and Wolf, and Novak Djokovic and Mariano Navone, from the elements.
    — Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Families who answer those questions early protect both generations.
    — Jon Sabes, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of protect
Noun
  • One Tuesday at dusk, children played around the monument while adults read the plaques on the June Bug’s wings that reflect the major milestones of a life of entrepreneurship and daring.
    — Sarah Moreno, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Stop at Height of Land for a wide-angle view of Mooselookmeguntic Lake surrounded by mountains, then watch for moose along quieter roads around dawn and dusk.
    — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of dusk
Noun
  • For a taste of the Mediterranean, Beach Rogue, with its after-dark DJ and near-promise of shark sightings, is the spot to book.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Search operations were scheduled to conclude in the mid-evening Saturday, so all personnel could leave the field before dark, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of dark

Browse Nearby Words

shacks
shade
shaded
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shade. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on shade

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shade

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All