having little depth lacking intellectual or mental depth or subtlety; superficial
- (often plural)
a shallow place in a body of water; shoal
to make or become shallow
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
shal•low /ˈʃæloʊ/USA pronunciation
adj., -er, -est.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- of little depth;
not deep:shallow water. - lacking depth or seriousness;
superficial:a shallow mind. - taking in a small amount of air in each breath:shallow breathing.
shal•low
(shal′ō),USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est, n., adv., v.
adj.
n.
adv.
v.t., v.i.
shal′low•ly, adv.
shal′low•ness, n.
adj.
- of little depth;
not deep:shallow water. - lacking depth;
superficial:a mind that is not narrow but shallow. - taking in a relatively small amount of air in each inhalation:shallow breathing.
- Sport[Baseball.]relatively close to home plate:The shortstop caught the pop fly in shallow left field.
n.
- Usually, shallows. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) a shallow part of a body of water;
shoal.
adv.
- Sport[Baseball.]at a shallow position:With the pitcher up, the outfielders played shallow.
v.t., v.i.
- to make or become shallow.
- 1350–1400; Middle English schalowe (adjective, adjectival); akin to Old English sceald shallow (see shoal1)
shal′low•ness, n.
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