SHALLOW
| Pronunciation (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does shallow mean?
• SHALLOW (noun)
The noun SHALLOW has 1 sense:
1. a stretch of shallow water
Familiarity information: SHALLOW used as a noun is very rare.
• SHALLOW (adjective)
The adjective SHALLOW has 3 senses:
1. lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
2. not deep or strong; not affecting one deeply
3. lacking depth of intellect or knowledge; concerned only with what is obvious
Familiarity information: SHALLOW used as an adjective is uncommon.
• SHALLOW (verb)
The verb SHALLOW has 2 senses:
1. make shallow
2. become shallow
Familiarity information: SHALLOW used as a verb is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• SHALLOW (noun)
Meaning:
A stretch of shallow water
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)
Synonyms:
shallow; shoal
Hypernyms ("shallow" is a kind of...):
body of water; water (the part of the earth's surface covered with water (such as a river or lake or ocean))
• SHALLOW (adjective)
Meaning:
Lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
Context examples:
shallow water / a shallow dish / a shallow cut / a shallow closet / established a shallow beachhead / hit the ball to shallow left field
Similar:
reefy; shelfy; shelvy; shoaly (full of submerged reefs or sandbanks or shoals)
neritic (relating to the region of shallow water adjoining the seacoast)
fordable (shallow enough to be crossed by walking or riding on an animal or in a vehicle)
ankle-deep; knee-deep (coming only to the ankle or knee)
Attribute:
depth (extent downward or backward or inward)
Antonym:
deep (having great spatial extension or penetration downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or laterally or outward from a center; sometimes used in combination)
Meaning:
Not deep or strong; not affecting one deeply
Context examples:
shallow breathing / a night of shallow fretful sleep / in a shallow trance
Similar:
light; wakeful ((of sleep) easily disturbed)
skin-deep; superficial; surface (involving a surface only)
Attribute:
depth (extent downward or backward or inward)
Antonym:
deep (relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply)
Meaning:
Lacking depth of intellect or knowledge; concerned only with what is obvious
Context examples:
shallow people / his arguments seemed shallow and tedious
Similar:
superficial (being or affecting or concerned with a surface; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually)
• SHALLOW (verb)
Meaning:
Make shallow
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
shallow; shoal
Context example:
The silt shallowed the canal
Hypernyms (to "shallow" is one way to...):
alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Become shallow
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
shallow; shoal
Context example:
the lake shallowed over time
Hypernyms (to "shallow" is one way to...):
change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s
