English · Word Candidate

shadow

/ˈʃædəʊ̯/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: shadows · shadowing · shadowed

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

A dark image projected onto a surface where light (or other radiation) is blocked by the shade of an object.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Hình ảnh tối được chiếu lên bề mặt khi ánh sáng bị chặn bởi vật thể

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

My shadow lengthened as the sun began to set.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Relative darkness, especially as caused by the interruption of light; gloom; obscurity.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Bóng tối tương đối, đặc biệt là do sự gián đoạn của ánh sáng

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

I immediately jumped into shadow as I saw them approach.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Unofficial, informal, unauthorized, but acting as though it were.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Không chính thức, không được công nhận, nhưng hành động như thể nó được

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

The human resources department has a shadow information technology group without headquarters knowledge.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Having power or influence, but not widely known or recognized.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Có quyền lực hoặc ảnh hưởng, nhưng không được biết đến rộng rãi

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

The director has been giving shadow leadership to the other group's project to ensure its success.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “shadow” mean?

A dark image projected onto a surface where light (or other radiation) is blocked by the shade of an object.

Is “shadow” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.