shade
Shade is a subtle, often witty insult or sign of disrespect.
By Cal Hewitt, Founder at Web Leveling · Researched from public sources ·
What it actually means
Shade is indirect criticism, often delivered through a backhanded compliment, tone, or implication rather than a direct attack. It can be playful among friends or deliberately cutting. Throw shade is the verb phrase, while no shade is often used before a criticism, sometimes sincerely and sometimes ironically.
See the quick definition in the shade dictionary entry.
Where it came from
Throwing shade is traced to the 1980s Black and Latino gay community, especially New York City's drag scene. Paris Is Burning, a 1990 documentary, recorded drag performer Dorian Corey explaining shade as an indirect insult. It developed alongside reading, a more direct form of calling out flaws. No single coiner is documented.
No single person is credited, the origin is well-documented.
Where it's popular
New York City drag and ballroom culture, then wider LGBTQ+ culture, reality television, and social media.
The term has a documented Black and Latino LGBTQ+ history.
How it caught on
- 1980sThrowing shade circulates in New York City's Black and Latino gay and drag communities.
- 1990Paris Is Burning records Dorian Corey's explanation of shade as an indirect insult.
- 2017Merriam-Webster adds shade in the insult sense, marking wider dictionary recognition.
- 2020sShade and no shade are common in online reactions, pop-culture discussion, and casual speech.
How to use it
“That was shade, and everyone at the table knew it.”
Naming a subtle insult.
“No shade, but that outfit needed another look.”
Softening or playfully framing criticism.
“She threw shade without saying a name.”
Describing an indirect public jab.
Common mix-ups
Shade is not any disagreement. Its defining feature is indirectness. Reading is related but generally more explicit and pointed.
Do you actually know it?
Can you spot the shade?
0/31. What makes shade different from a direct insult?
2. Which community is central to the term's documented history?
3. What does "no shade" usually introduce?
Related slang
Questions people ask
What does shade mean in slang?
It means a subtle, indirect insult or expression of disrespect. https://www.dictionary.com/culture/slang/throwing-shade
What does throw shade mean?
It means to make an indirect, often witty or cutting criticism. https://www.dictionary.com/culture/slang/throwing-shade
Where did shade come from?
It is traced to 1980s Black and Latino gay and drag communities in New York City. https://www.dictionary.com/culture/slang/throwing-shade
What is the difference between shade and reading?
Shade is indirect; reading is a sharper, more direct calling out of flaws.
Dorian Corey's Paris Is Burning explanation is still one of the most-cited descriptions of shade: the point is that the target already knows the insult.