dark and shadow share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. dark means “devoid of or deficient in light or brightness; shadowed or black”. shadow means “shade within clear boundaries”. dark is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈdɑɹk/
1.adj.devoid of or deficient in light or brightness; shadowed or black
“sitting in a dark corner”
2.adj.(used of color) having a dark hue
“dark green”
3.adj.brunet (used of hair or skin or eyes)
“dark eyes”
/ˈʃæˌdoʊ/
1.n.shade within clear boundaries
2.n.an unilluminated area
“he moved off into the darkness”
3.n.something existing in perception only
“a ghostly apparition at midnight”
| dark | shadow | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɑɹk/ | /ˈʃæˌdoʊ/ |
| Said | dahrk | SHAD-oh |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 4 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | adjective, noun | noun, verb |
| Senses | 15 | 12 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | none recorded | none recorded |
Full entry for dark · Full entry for shadow · More comparisons