shady
gb/ʃˈeɪdi/ us/ʃˈeɪdi/
A2
English
~ 7700
gyanús, kétes, árnyékos, félhomályos, kétséges, sunyi, gúnyos
B2
INFORMAL
1
Usage pattern:
a shady [person/organization/deal]
The police are investigating a shady company that promised huge returns.
A rendőrség egy gyanús céget vizsgál, amely óriási hozamokat ígért.
He has some shady friends who are always getting into trouble.
Vannak kétes barátai, akik mindig bajba keverednek.
That contract looks shady to me, so I’m not signing it.
They made their money through some very shady deals in the 1990s.
The website seems shady, so don’t enter your credit card details.
Learner examples
He seems like a shady man, so I do not trust him.
Gyanús embernek tűnik, ezért nem bízom benne.
We left the bar because it was full of shady people.
Otthagytuk a bárt, mert tele volt gyanús alakokkal.
This offer is very cheap and sounds shady.
She has a shady past and does not like to talk about it.
They were doing something shady behind the store.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'shady' only means 'dark' or 'in the shade'. When used about people, businesses, or deals, 'shady' almost always suggests dishonesty or crime. For physical darkness, 'dark' or 'shadowy' is more neutral.
Meaning
dishonest or suspicious
Collocations
shady character
|shady dealings
|shady business
|shady past
|shady scheme
|something feels shady
Synonyms
dodgy (Common in British English; very similar meaning, often slightly more informal.)
|
suspicious (Focuses more on how something appears rather than on actual dishonesty.)
Antonyms
respectable (Suggests socially approved behavior and reputation, the opposite of having a shady image.)
|
honest (Direct opposite in terms of truthfulness and lack of cheating.)
Themes
crime
|business
|character
|law
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Looking like a person or thing that does bad or illegal things and cannot be trusted.
Morally or legally questionable; likely to be involved in dishonest, illegal, or unethical activities.
A2
2
árnyékos
A2
Usage pattern:
a shady [place/tree/spot]
We found a shady spot under a large oak tree.
Találtunk egy árnyékos helyet egy nagy tölgyfa alatt.
Let’s sit on the shady side of the street where it’s cooler.
Üljünk az utca árnyékos oldalára, ott hűvösebb van.
The café has a lovely shady terrace for hot summer days.
The path becomes pleasantly shady once you enter the forest.
They moved the chairs to a shadier corner of the yard.
Learner examples
We had lunch in a shady place in the park.
A parkban egy árnyékos helyen ebédeltünk.
I stood under a shady tree to stay cool.
Beálltam egy árnyékos fa alá, hogy hűsöljek.
The dog is sleeping in a shady corner of the garden.
Let’s put the baby in a shady spot.
This side of the house is always shady.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'shady' with 'shadow'. 'Shady' describes a place that has shade. 'Shadow' is the dark shape made when light is blocked.
Meaning
protected from direct sun
Collocations
shady tree
|shady spot
|shady corner
|shady garden
|nice and shady
|cool, shady place
Synonyms
shaded (More technical or descriptive; focuses only on the physical fact of being in shade.)
|
shadowy (Emphasizes low light or many shadows; can sound a bit more mysterious.)
Antonyms
sunny (Direct opposite in terms of sun exposure.)
|
exposed (Focuses on being open and unprotected from sun or weather.)
Themes
nature
|weather
|daily life
Definition
Not in the direct sun because something like a tree or building blocks the light.
Having plenty of shade; protected from direct sunlight, usually by trees, buildings, or other cover.
B2
3
félhomályos
B2
Usage pattern:
a shady [corner/room/lane]
They walked down a narrow, shady alley behind the market.
Egy szűk, félhomályos sikátoron mentek végig a piac mögött.
The restaurant has a cool, shady interior that feels very relaxing.
Az étterem belseje hűvös és félhomályos, nagyon nyugtató.
A small, shady lane leads from the main road to the farm.
The shady side of the garden stays damp after it rains.
We prefer the shady corner of the balcony in the afternoon.
Learner examples
The room is small and shady, with only one window.
A szoba kicsi és félhomályos, csak egy ablaka van.
They sat in a shady corner of the old church.
A régi templom egyik félhomályos sarkában ültek.
We walked through a long, shady tunnel.
The street is shady and quiet at night.
She likes the shady side of the house in summer.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the 'dishonest' sense. When 'shady' describes physical places like 'alley', 'lane', or 'corner', it can mean dark, but in some contexts it can also suggest danger or crime. Context and tone are important.
Meaning
somewhat dark or shadowy
Collocations
shady alley
|shady lane
|shady corner
|shady side
|shady interior
|shady grove
Synonyms
dim (Focuses on low light, not specifically on shade from sun.)
|
shadowy (Very close in meaning; often suggests a mix of light and shadow, sometimes with a mysterious feeling.)
Antonyms
bright (Opposite in terms of having a lot of light.)
|
well-lit (Stresses enough light for visibility or safety.)
Themes
places
|appearance
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A little dark because there is not much light, or there are many shadows.
Somewhat dark or dim because of shade or lack of direct light; full of shadows.
B2
4
Usage pattern:
shady [story/deal/practice/explanation]
The company has been criticized for its shady marketing practices.
A céget kétséges marketinggyakorlatai miatt bírálták.
He gave a shady explanation for why the money was missing.
Kétséges magyarázatot adott arra, miért hiányzott a pénz.
They used some shady accounting tricks to hide their losses.
Voters are concerned about the shady deals between politicians and developers.
The charity denied any involvement in shady financial activities.
Learner examples
The contract looks shady, so I will not sign it.
A szerződés kétségesnek tűnik, ezért nem írom alá.
People complained about the bank’s shady fees.
Az emberek panaszkodtak a bank kétes díjaira.
She does not want to be part of shady business practices.
His answer was shady and did not sound true.
They made money through shady deals.
Common mistake:
Learners may use only 'bad' or 'not good' for these ideas. 'Shady' is useful when something seems wrong or dishonest, but you do not or cannot prove it. Be careful not to use 'shady' in very formal writing; 'questionable' or 'dubious' fit better there.
Meaning
of doubtful truth or legitimacy
Collocations
shady practices
|shady deal
|shady scheme
|shady explanation
|shady statistics
|shady arrangement
Synonyms
questionable (Focuses on doubt or uncertainty, sometimes less strong than 'shady'.)
|
dubious (Formal or written; emphasizes serious doubt or mistrust.)
Antonyms
legitimate (Opposite in terms of being lawful and acceptable.)
|
aboveboard (Informal; stresses being completely open and honest.)
Themes
truth
|business
|law
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not clearly true, fair, or legal, and making people feel that something is wrong.
Not fully trustworthy, accurate, or legitimate; giving reason to suspect that something is wrong, unfair, or dishonest.
C1
SLANG
5
Usage pattern:
[something] is shady toward [someone]
Posting that screenshot without context was really shady.
Az, hogy kiraktad azt a képernyőfotót kontextus nélkül, elég sunyi volt.
She made a shady comment about his new job that sounded like a compliment but wasn’t.
Sunyi megjegyzést tett az új állásáról: úgy hangzott, mintha dicséret lenne, de nem az volt.
That was a shady move, inviting everyone except her.
He keeps liking shady tweets about his ex on purpose.
The interview questions were kind of shady toward the guest.
Learner examples
That joke about her weight was shady.
Az a poén a súlyáról sunyi volt.
He was being shady when he talked about his coworker.
Sunyin viselkedett, amikor a kollégájáról beszélt.
She made a shady comment about my clothes.
Posting that photo without asking is shady.
I do not like it when people act shady online.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this slang sense is exactly the same as 'dishonest'. In online and youth slang, 'shady' often means 'mean in a secret way' or 'quietly disrespectful', not only 'criminal'. It is very informal and should be avoided in formal writing or professional contexts.
Meaning
subtly rude or insulting
Collocations
that was shady
|being shady
|a shady comment
|shady behavior
|shady tweet
|act shady toward [someone]
Synonyms
snide (Sounds more formal and negative; often used for comments that are clearly nasty.)
|
petty (Focuses on small, mean behavior; not always hidden or indirect.)
Antonyms
straightforward (Opposite in being open and clear, without hidden attacks.)
|
supportive (Opposite in attitude, actively kind instead of subtly mean.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|internet
|communication
Definition
Saying or doing something that seems polite on the surface but secretly attacks or insults someone.
Behaving or speaking in a way that is indirectly rude, insulting, or disrespectful, often while pretending to be polite.
Grammar
Dictionary form
shady
IPA
GB/ʃˈeɪdi/
US/ʃˈeɪdi/
Syllables & stress
shady (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (shady)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: shady
- Comparative: shadier
- Superlative: shadiest
Word family
Expressions
shady area
1/ʃˈeɪdi ˈɛɹiə/
fixed phrase
partly dark or unsafe place
A place that is either dark because of shade, or (in another meaning) known as not safe and full of crime.
Examples
- We walked quickly through the shady area under the bridge.
- Tourists are told to avoid the shady areas near the station at night.
shady business
1/ʃˈeɪdi bˈɪznɪs/
fixed phrase
informal
probably dishonest business
A company or activity that does not follow the law or normal rules and cannot be trusted.
Examples
- He made a lot of money through shady business in real estate.
- They warned us not to get involved with any shady business while we were traveling.
shady character
1/ʃˈeɪdi kˈɛɹɪktɚ/
fixed phrase
informal
person who seems dishonest
A person who looks or acts like they do bad or illegal things and cannot be trusted.
Examples
- There’s a shady character hanging around the parking lot.
- You don’t want to get mixed up with that shady character from the bar.
shady dealings
1/ʃˈeɪdi dˈilɪŋz/
fixed phrase
informal
dishonest business activities
Business or money activities that are probably illegal or not honest.
Examples
- The company collapsed after their shady dealings were exposed.
- Journalists uncovered shady dealings between the mayor and several contractors.
shady neighborhood
1/ʃˈeɪdi nˈeɪbɚhˌʊd/
fixed phrase
informal
unsafe or criminal area
An area of a city where many people think there is crime and it is not safe.
Examples
- He grew up in a pretty shady neighborhood on the edge of town.
- We got lost and ended up in a shady neighborhood after dark.
shady past
1/ʃˈeɪdi pˈæst/
fixed phrase
informal
history of wrongdoing
A person’s history that includes things that were illegal, dishonest, or socially unacceptable.
Examples
- He changed his name to escape his shady past.
- The politician’s shady past became a major issue in the election.
shady practices
1/ʃˈeɪdi pɹˈæktɪsɪz/
fixed phrase
unethical or dishonest methods
Ways of doing business or work that are not honest or fair, and may be illegal.
Examples
- The company was fined for shady practices in its marketing.
- Regulators are trying to stop shady practices in the loan industry.
shady spot
1/ʃˈeɪdi spˈɑt/
fixed phrase
place in the shade
A small place where the sun does not shine directly because something blocks it.
Examples
- We found a shady spot by the river for our picnic.
- The dog moved to a shady spot under the table to cool down.
shady tree
1/ʃˈeɪdi tɹˈi/
fixed phrase
tree that provides shade
A tree with many leaves or wide branches that makes a cool, dark place under it.
Examples
- Children were playing under a big shady tree.
- We parked the car beneath a shady tree to keep it cool.
that's shady
1/ðˈæts ʃˈeɪdi/
fixed phrase
slang
comment on unfair or mean behavior
A way to say that someone’s action or comment is not honest or is secretly rude.
Examples
- You invited everyone but her? That’s shady.
- Sharing that private message without asking is really shady.