shadow play

noun

: a drama exhibited by throwing shadows of puppets or actors on a screen

called also shadow show

Examples of shadow play in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The earlier film showcases Murnau’s already fluid camerawork, particularly his command of shadow play and low angles that made the 6-foot-3 Schreck seem like a force of otherworldly evil. Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024 Natural light and its emotive shadow play, and honest interior compositions. Ad Editors, Architectural Digest, 12 July 2021 There’s a nod to almost every one of the auteur’s past works, from gangster dramas to gothic shadow plays. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 May 2024 What audiences see are silhouettes engaged in a shadow play of entwined hands and arched backs, sensual but not X-rated. Rebecca Ritzel, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shadow play 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shadow play was circa 1890

Dictionary Entries Near shadow play

Cite this Entry

“Shadow play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shadow%20play. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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