wobbly
adjective
shaky; unsteady.
wobbly
1 American
[wob-lee]
/ ˈwɒb li /
Or
wabbly
adjective
wobblier,
wobbliest
Wobbly
2
American
[wob-lee]
/ ˈwɒb li /
noun
plural
Wobblies
wobbly
1
British
/ ˈwɒblɪ /
adjective
-
unsteady
-
trembling, shaking
noun
Wobbly
2
British
/ ˈwɒblɪ /
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wobbly1
First recorded in 1850–55; wobble + -y 1
Origin of Wobbly2
An Americanism dating back to 1910–15; of uncertain origin
Explanation
If something's wobbly, it has a tendency to sway or lurch from side to side, like the wobbly wheel on a broken tricycle or the wobbly legs of a cruise ship passenger who has just set foot on solid ground after a week at sea. If your chair is wobbly, you may need to tighten the legs with a screwdriver. And if you're feeling wobbly during gym class, you probably need to sit down and drink some water. Anything or anyone that wobbles can be described as wobbly, and both words come from a root meaning "to weave back and forth." When the word is capitalized, it's a nickname for a member of the labor union called International Workers of the World.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Wobbly economic conditions could prompt Fed officials to lower rates more than the single cut they penciled in for 2026 back in December.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
Wobbly China recovery after the country put an end to its “zero-COVID” policy has also prevented demand from rebounding quickly.
From Reuters • Jul. 25, 2023
Well, he says those would be the ones that "became classics", such as Don't Show Keith Your Teeth and the Wibbly Wobbly game.
From BBC • Dec. 8, 2022
Based on her firsthand experience, she says that vendors you’ll definitely want to visit include Flat Tack Farm, Red Truck Farm, Wobbly Cart Farm and Reister Ranch.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 15, 2022
Wobbly with dread, I walked up the hallway and rasped up the twisted stairs, “Hello?”
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
