shaky
Americanadjective
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tending to shake or tremble.
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trembling; tremulous.
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liable to break down or give way; insecure; not to be depended upon.
a shaky bridge.
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wavering, as in allegiance.
His loyalty, always shaky, was now nonexistent.
adjective
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tending to shake or tremble
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liable to prove defective; unreliable
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uncertain or questionable
your arguments are very shaky
Other Word Forms
- shakily adverb
- shakiness noun
Etymology
Origin of shaky
Explanation
Something shaky is trembling — or just feels like it. When we're not confident, we feel shaky. Being shaky is something that happens to us all. The first day of a job or class can make anyone feel shaky — even the teacher or boss. When you get extremely nervous, your hands might literally shake. That's not fun, but it might help you remember what shaky means. A building in an earthquake and a tree in the wind can also be shaky. One person we hope is not shaky — in either way — is a surgeon.
Vocabulary lists containing shaky
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 3
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Feeling Faint: Synonyms for "Weak"
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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.
Another shaky service game from the Spaniard gave Sinner another break point, and from there he made no mistake, quickly wrapping up his 27th ATP Tour victory.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
Vance heads to Pakistan this week with orders from President Donald Trump to turn the shaky Iran ceasefire into a lasting peace deal.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
The company’s future in Southern California has been shaky since Snyder-Ellingson announced she was moving to Tennessee, where the company plans to open a second headquarters.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
“The war in Iran has added an additional layer of uncertainty on top of an already shaky macroeconomic climate,” a manager from the real-estate industry told the survey.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026
“Your mama has buckets of sunflowers downstairs,” said Peach in a shaky voice.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
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.
