shaky
Americanadjective
-
shakier,
comparative
-
shakiest
superlative
-
tending to shake or tremble.
-
trembling; tremulous.
-
liable to break down or give way; insecure; not to be depended upon.
a shaky bridge.
-
wavering, as in allegiance.
His loyalty, always shaky, was now nonexistent.
adjective
-
tending to shake or tremble
-
liable to prove defective; unreliable
-
uncertain or questionable
your arguments are very shaky
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Feeling Faint: Synonyms for "Weak"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
See Examples For:
Xabi Alonso watched his Chelsea team hit six goals in the second half against Leeds United but felt the need to "take responsibility" for the shaky start that came before the thrilling flurry.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Crucial but shaky Mideast export estimates have been tripping up Wall Street analysts since the start of the war in late February.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
Many of the AI generated images have been centred on the Irish counties of Limerick and Wexford, where shaky videos purportedly showed the character wandering through the streets, causing alarm and confusion among residents.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
His return wasn’t triumphant, as he had three blown saves and two more shaky outings in non-save situations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
Elizebeth set down her verdict in shaky green ink: “Save this to read over when I get the blahs.”
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
Nigeria's GDP is the fourth largest in Africa, but after years of mismanagement and corruption, its grid is often shakier than that of neighbouring, poorer countries.
From Barron's ● Jun. 8, 2026
A weak housing market, inflationary pressures from oil prices, and a six-month high jobless rate contribute to a shakier credit market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
But UBS analysts said the company could try to give itself more flexibility for a wider range of outcomes in its financial forecast, due to the the leadership change and a shakier economic backdrop.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 5, 2026
The same could be said of Lesli Margherita’s Mrs. Lovett, the proprietor of a filthy and failing Fleet Street pie shop, but it’s a shakier case.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 3, 2026
“How’re you doing, sweetheart?” she asked, her voice faint, her breath even shakier than it had been yesterday.
From "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness
“OpenAI’s nascent hardware business now rests on the shakiest of foundations,” Apple’s complaint said, accusing the AI lab of “a pattern of theft.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
"OpenAI's nascent hardware business now rests on the shakiest of foundations, rotten to its core by its illegal reliance on misappropriated trade secrets," the complaint said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
That is one element of this which the committee is doubtless going to want to probe further, and perhaps where Sir Olly felt on shakiest ground.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
Then came a 10-foot stretch in which you had to swing yourself between vertically hanging ropes, with only the shakiest of footing below.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2023
Morgan to buy it by offering a knockdown price and guaranteeing Bear Stearns’s shakiest assets.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
