- 1not having much distance between the top or surface and the bottom a shallow dish They were playing in the shallow end (= of the swimming pool). These fish are found in shallow waters around the coast. The body was found in a shallow grave. shallow roots (= that grow near the surface of the ground) opposite deep
- 2(disapproving) (of a person, an idea, a comment, etc.) not showing serious thought, feelings, etc. about something synonym superficial This shows how shallow their commitment to the environment really is.
- 3shallow breathing involves taking in only a small amount of air each time
adverb He was breathing shallowly.
noun [uncountable]See shallow in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
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