shallow

UK: /ˈʃæləʊ/ US: /ˈʃæloʊ/ ,(shal′ō)

Inflections of 'shallow' (adj):

shallower

adj comparative

shallowest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

shal•low /ˈʃæloʊ/   adj., -er, -est. 

1. of little depth;
   not deep:
   shallow water.
2. lacking depth or seriousness;
   superficial:
   a shallow mind.
3. taking in a small amount of air in each breath:
   shallow breathing.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

shal•low  (shal′ō), adj., -er, -est, n., adv., v. 
adj. 

1. of little depth;
   not deep:
   shallow water.
2. lacking depth;
   superficial:
   a mind that is not narrow but shallow.
3. taking in a relatively small amount of air in each inhalation:
   shallow breathing.
4. Sport [Baseball.] relatively close to home plate:
   The shortstop caught the pop fly in shallow left field.

n. 

5. Usually, shallows. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) a shallow part of a body of water;
   shoal.

adv. 

6. Sport [Baseball.] at a shallow position:
   With the pitcher up, the outfielders played shallow.

v.t., v.i. 

7. to make or become shallow.

• 1350–1400; Middle English schalowe (adjective, adjectival); akin to Old English sceald shallow (see shoal¹)

shal′low•ly, adv. 
shal′low•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

shallow / ˈʃæləʊ/ adjective

1. having little depth
2. lacking intellectual or mental depth or subtlety; superficial

noun

1. (often plural) a shallow place in a body of water; shoal

verb

1. to make or become shallow

Etymology: 15th Century: related to Old English sceald shallow; see shoal¹

ˈshallowly adverb

ˈshallowness noun