shallow
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.having only a short distance from the top to the bottom.
adj.having little physical depth; measuring a small distance from the surface to the base.
Simple“The children played in the shallow end of the swimming pool.”
In context“The boat ran aground in the shallow waters near the coast, as the captain had underestimated how much the tide had receded.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describing someone who only cares about unimportant things like looks or money.
adj.lacking intellectual or emotional depth; concerned only with obvious or superficial matters.
Simple“He is a bit shallow and only dates people who look like models.”
In context“Critics dismissed the novel as shallow, arguing that the author failed to explore the complex psychological motivations of the protagonists.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describing breaths that do not take much air into the lungs.
adj.characterised by a lack of physical penetration or intensity, specifically regarding respiration.
Simple“The patient was taking quick, shallow breaths after the accident.”
In context“The paramedic noticed the victim's shallow breathing and immediately checked for a blocked airway.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
adj.having a very gentle slope that is almost flat.
adj.having a low gradient or angle; approaching the horizontal.
Simple“The ramp has a shallow slope to make it easier for wheelchairs.”
In context“The roof was designed with a shallow pitch to comply with local height restrictions while maintaining a modern aesthetic.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
n.a place in a river or sea where the water is not deep.
n.an area of a body of water where the depth is significantly reduced.
Simple“The small fish gathered in the shallows to hide from larger predators.”
In context“Wading through the shallows, the researchers collected samples of the unique seagrass that only grows in sunlit, low-depth environments.”
- 06 C2 Proficiency
v.to become less deep over time.
v.to decrease in depth; often used in nautical or geological contexts to describe a seabed rising.
Simple“The river began to shallow as it filled with sand and mud.”
In context“The coastal charts must be updated frequently because the shifting currents cause the channel to shallow unpredictably.”
Synonymssilt upAntonyms
“About 80 degrees North, this remote island area was once covered by a shallow sea.”
“People weren’t telling us they wanted a wide but shallow pool of friends.”
From Middle English schalowe (“not deep, shallow”); apparently related to Middle English schalde, schold, scheld, schealde (“shallow”), from Old English sċeald (“shallow”), from Proto-Germanic skal-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kelh₁- (“to parch, dry out”). Related to Low German Scholl (“shallow water”). See also shoal.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.