Find Antonyms

shallow Antonyms

Opposite of shallow

Because the opposite of shallow shifts with each meaning, the 21 antonyms and opposite words below are separated across 5 exact definitions and ranked by contrast strength.
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• adjective (Context 1)

Of little depth; measuring only a short distance from the top or surface to the bottom.

Usage Example

"The children played safely in the deep water near the shore."

Strongest
deep
Strong
profound
bottomless
fathomless
cavernous
abyssal

• adjective (Context 2)

Lacking intellectual, emotional, or moral depth; concerned only with surface appearances or trivial matters.

Usage Example

"Critics dismissed the novel for its profound characterization and predictable plot."

Strongest
profound
deep
Strong
insightful
substantive
thoughtful
meaningful
serious
earnest
thorough

• noun (Context 3)

An area of a sea, lake, or river where the water is not very deep (usually used in the plural).

Usage Example

"Small fish darted among the reeds in the warm shallows of the lake."

Strongest
deep
depths
Strong
abyss
chasm

• adjective (Context 4)

Taking in or expelling only a small amount of air (of breathing or respiration).

Usage Example

"The patient's breathing was rapid and deep after the strenuous exercise."

Strongest
deep
Strong
full
heavy

• verb (Context 5)

To become or make less deep over time.

Usage Example

"The river channel gradually shallows as it approaches the wide sandy delta."

Strongest
deepen
Strong
dredge
Weak
excavate

Similar words to shallow

Words similar to shallow shift depending on context. Common synonyms include:

superficial
shoal
surface-level
trivial
frivolous
light
vacuous
sandbar
See all synonyms of shallow

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Antonyms for Shallow. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/antonyms/shallow
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