Ghost vs. Shadow — What's the Difference?

In folklore, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to realistic, lifelike forms.

A shadow is a dark (real image) area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it.

An apparition of a dead person which is believed to appear or become manifest to the living, typically as a nebulous image

A dark area or shape made by an object blocking rays of light.

Act as ghostwriter of (a work)

The darkness or diminished light caused by the blocking of a light source

Glide smoothly and effortlessly

A darker area in a picture or photograph.

End a personal relationship with (someone) by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication

Shadows The darkness following sunset.

The spirit of a dead person, especially one that is believed to appear to the living in bodily form or to haunt specific locations.

Often shadows A darkened area of skin under the eye.

A person's spirit or soul

An incipient growth of beard that makes the skin look darker.

A returning or haunting memory or image.

A feeling or cause of gloom or unhappiness

A slight or faint trace

A nearby or adjoining region; vicinity

The tiniest bit

A dominating presence or influence

An unwanted image on a television or radar screen caused by reflected waves.

An imitation or inferior version

A displaced image in a photograph caused by the optical system of the camera.

A phantom; a ghost.

An unwanted spectral line caused by imperfections in a diffraction grating.

An unsubstantial object of pursuit

A displaced image in a mirror caused by reflection from the front of the glass.

One, such as a detective or spy, that follows or trails another.

(Informal) A ghostwriter.

A constant companion.

A nonexistent publication listed in bibliographies.

(Sports) A player who guards an opponent closely.

A fictitious employee or business.

A faint indication; a foreshadowing

(Physiology) A red blood cell having no hemoglobin.

An insignificant portion or amount; a trace

(Informal) To engage in ghostwriting.

Shelter; protection

To move noiselessly like a ghost

To cast a shadow on; darken or shade

(Informal) To cut off all communication with someone, especially a romantic or sexual partner, without providing an explanation

To make gloomy or troubled, especially over time

To haunt.

To represent vaguely, mysteriously, or prophetically; foreshadow.

(Informal) To ghostwrite

To darken in a painting or drawing; shade in.

(Informal) To cut off all communication with (someone), especially a romantic or sexual partner, without providing an explanation

To follow, especially in secret; trail.

The spirit; the human soul.

(Sports) To guard (an opponent) closely throughout the playing area.

The disembodied soul; the soul or spirit of a deceased person; a spirit appearing after death.

To become downcast or gloomy

Any faint shadowy semblance; an unsubstantial image.

Not having official status

A false image formed in a telescope, camera, or other optical device by reflection from the surfaces of one or more lenses.

A dark image projected onto a surface where light (or other radiation) is blocked by the shade of an object.

An unwanted image similar to and overlapping or adjacent to the main one on a television screen, caused by the transmitted image being received both directly and via reflection.

Relative darkness, especially as caused by the interruption of light; gloom; obscurity.

A ghostwriter.

An area protected by an obstacle (likened to an object blocking out sunlight).

A nonexistent person invented to obtain some fraudulent benefit.

(obsolete) A reflected image, as in a mirror or in water.

A dead person whose identity is stolen by another. See ghosting.

(figurative) That which looms as though a shadow.

(Internet) An unresponsive user on IRC, resulting from the user's client disconnecting without notifying the server.

A small degree; a shade.

(computing) An image of a file or hard disk.

An imperfect and faint representation.

(theatre) An understudy.

A trainee, assigned to work with an experienced officer.

(espionage) A covert (and deniable) agent.

One who secretly or furtively follows another.

The faint image that remains after an attempt to remove graffiti.

An inseparable companion.

(video games) An opponent in a racing game that follows a previously recorded route, allowing players to compete against previous best times.

(typography) A drop shadow effect applied to lettering in word processors etc.

Someone whose identity cannot be established because there are no records of him/her.

An influence, especially a pervasive or a negative one.

(quantum physics) An unphysical state in a gauge theory.

A spirit; a ghost; a shade.

A formerly nonexistent character that was at some point mistakenly encoded into a character set standard, which might have since become used opportunistically for some genuine purpose.

An uninvited guest accompanying one who was invited.

(countable) ghost pepper

An unconscious aspect of the personality.

(uncountable) A game in which players take turns to add a letter to a possible word, trying not to complete a word.

(transitive) To shade, cloud, or darken.

White or pale.

(transitive) To block light or radio transmission from.

Transparent or translucent.

To secretly or discreetly track or follow another, to keep under surveillance.

(attributive) Abandoned.

(transitive) To represent faintly and imperfectly.

(attributive) Remnant; the remains of a(n).

(transitive) To hide; to conceal.

(attributive) Perceived or listed but not real.

(transitive) To accompany (a professional) during the working day, so as to learn about an occupation one intends to take up.

(attributive) Of cryptid, supernatural or extraterrestrial nature.

To make (an identifier, usually a variable) inaccessible by declaring another of the same name within the scope of the first.

(attributive) Substitute.

To apply the shadowing process to (the contents of ROM).

To haunt; to appear to in the form of an apparition.

Unofficial, informal, unauthorized, but acting as though it were.

(obsolete) To die; to expire.

Having power or influence, but not widely known or recognized.

(literary) To imbue with a ghost-like hue or effect.

(politics) Acting in a leadership role before being formally recognized.

(ambitransitive) To ghostwrite.

Part of, or related to, the opposition in government.

(nautical) To sail seemingly without wind.

Darkness; shade; obscurity.

(computing) To copy a file or hard drive image.

A shaded place; shelter; protection; security.

(GUI) To gray out (a visual item) to indicate that it is unavailable.

A reflected image, as in a mirror or in water.

To forcibly disconnect an IRC user who is using one's reserved nickname.

That which follows or attends a person or thing like a shadow; an inseparable companion; hence, an obsequious follower.

(intransitive) To appear or move without warning, quickly and quietly; to slip.

A spirit; a ghost; a shade; a phantom.

(transitive) To transfer (a prisoner) to another prison without the prior knowledge of other inmates.

An imperfect and faint representation; adumbration; indistinct image; dim bodying forth; hence, mystical representation; type.

(slang) To kill.

A small degree; a shade.

To perform an act of ghosting: to break up with someone without warning or explanation; to ignore someone, especially on social media.

An uninvited guest coming with one who is invited.

(film) To provide the speaking or singing voice for another actor, who is lip-syncing.

To cut off light from; to put in shade; to shade; to throw a shadow upon; to overspead with obscurity.

The spirit; the soul of man.

To conceal; to hide; to screen.

The disembodied soul; the soul or spirit of a deceased person; a spirit appearing after death; an apparition; a specter.

To protect; to shelter from danger; to shroud.

Any faint shadowy semblance; an unsubstantial image; a phantom; a glimmering; as, not a ghost of a chance; the ghost of an idea.

To mark with gradations of light or color; to shade.

A false image formed in a telescope by reflection from the surfaces of one or more lenses.

To represent faintly or imperfectly; to adumbrate; hence, to represent typically.

To die; to expire.

To cloud; to darken; to cast a gloom over.

To appear to or haunt in the form of an apparition.

To attend as closely as a shadow; to follow and watch closely, especially in a secret or unobserved manner; as, a detective shadows a criminal.

A mental representation of some haunting experience;

Shade within clear boundaries

A writer who gives the credit of authorship to someone else

An unilluminated area;

The visible disembodied soul of a dead person

Something existing in perception only;

A suggestion of some quality;

A premonition of something adverse;

Move like a ghost;

An indication that something has been present;

Haunt like a ghost; pursue;

Refuge from danger or observation;

Write for someone else;

A dominating and pervasive presence;

A spy employed to follow someone and report their movements

An inseparable companion;

Follow, usually without the person's knowledge;

Cast a shadow over

Make appear small by comparison;