Shallow — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb noun /ˈsha-(ˌ)lō/ shal·low

Meaning & Definition of Shallow

Shallow (adjective)

  1. having little depth
  2. having little extension inward or backward
  3. penetrating only the easily or quickly perceived

Shallow (verb)

  1. to make shallow
  2. to become shallow

Shallow (noun)

  1. a shallow place or area in a body of water —usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction

Shallow (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. lacking significant physical depth

    "the dog quickly dug a shallow hole that was barely deep enough to accommodate his bone"

    similar: depthless, shoal
    related: skin-deep, superficial, surface, fathomable, measurable, finite, limited, measured, restricted, even, flat, flush, horizontal, level, plane, smooth, two-dimensional
    opposite: deep
    near: abysmal, abyssal, bottomless, boundless, endless, immeasurable, inestimable, infinite, limitless, measureless, profound, unfathomable, unlimited, vast, navigable

  2. having or showing a lack of depth of understanding or character

    "he was a shallow person who rarely cared about anything but his earthly possessions and keeping up appearances"

    similar: facile, one-dimensional, skin-deep, superficial
    related: cursory, hasty, oversimple, passing, sketchy, aimless, desultory, haphazard, hit-or-miss, random, limited, narrow, restricted
    opposite: deep, profound
    near: discerning, penetrant, penetrating, definitive, hard, broad, complete, comprehensive, exhaustive, extensive, far-reaching, wide, general, global, inclusive, detailed, in-depth, critical

Shallow (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a place where a body of water (as a sea or river) is shallow

    "we waded through the shallows looking for tadpoles"

    similar: ford, shoal
    related: bank, bar, sandbank, sandbar, towhead
    near: trench, abyss, deep, depth, gulf

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Shallow

The most common words with a similar meaning to Shallow:

depthless, shoal, facile, one-dimensional, skin-deep, superficial, ford

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Shallow

Words with the opposite meaning of Shallow:

deep, profound

Related Words for Shallow

surface, fathomable, measurable, finite, limited, measured, restricted, even, flat, flush, horizontal, level, plane, smooth, two-dimensional, cursory, hasty, oversimple, passing, sketchy, aimless, desultory, haphazard, hit-or-miss, random, narrow, bank, bar, sandbank, sandbar

Near Antonyms of Shallow

abysmal, abyssal, bottomless, boundless, endless, immeasurable, inestimable, infinite, limitless, measureless, unfathomable, unlimited, vast, navigable, discerning, penetrant, penetrating, definitive, hard, broad, complete, comprehensive, exhaustive, extensive, far-reaching, wide, general, global, inclusive, detailed

Word Forms of Shallow

Inflections: shallowed, shallowing, shallows

Derived words: shallowly (adverb), shallowness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Shallow

Middle English schalowe; probably akin to Old English sceald shallow skeleton

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Shallow

Frequently Asked Questions about Shallow

What does "Shallow" mean?

"Shallow" means having little depth. As an an adjective, a verb and a noun, it is defined as: having little depth. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Shallow"?

Other words for "Shallow" include depthless, shoal, facile, one-dimensional, skin-deep, superficial and ford. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Shallow" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Shallow"?

There are 38 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Shallow". Common alternatives include depthless, shoal, facile, one-dimensional, skin-deep, superficial and ford.

What is the opposite of "Shallow"?

Antonyms of "Shallow" include deep and profound. Near antonyms include abysmal, abyssal, bottomless and boundless.

How do you use "Shallow" in a sentence?

Examples of "Shallow" in a sentence: "the dog quickly dug a shallow hole that was barely deep enough to accommodate his bone"; "he was a shallow person who rarely cared about anything but his earthly possessions and keeping up appearances"; "we waded through the shallows looking for tadpoles".

Is "Shallow" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Shallow" can be used as an adjective, a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Shallow" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Shallow" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Shallow"?

"Shallow" is pronounced /ˈsha-(ˌ)lō/ and divided into syllables as shal·low.