wobbly

¹ American  

[wob-lee] / ˈwɒb li /

Or wabbly

adjective

wobblier, wobbliest

1. shaky; unsteady.

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Wobbly ² American  

[wob-lee] / ˈwɒb li /

noun

plural

Wobblies

1. a member of the Industrial Workers of the World.

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wobbly ¹ British  

/ ˈwɒblɪ /

adjective

1. unsteady

2. trembling, shaking

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noun

1. slang to become suddenly very agitated or angry

Wobbly ² British  

/ ˈwɒblɪ /

noun

1. a member of the Industrial Workers of the World

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Other Word Forms

• wobbliness noun

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

Example Sentences

It was like a receiver snagging a wobbly pass from a backup quarterback, breaking three tackles and sprinting 80 yards for a touchdown.

From The Wall Street Journal

As Joshua’s jabs began poking through, a wobbly Paul pivoted to a new tactic: hanging on for dear life.

From The Wall Street Journal

A lump the size of a Cadbury Egg forms in my throat as I take off running for the front office, my wobbly legs completely forgotten.

From Literature

Three of the winning dozen look a little wobbly for other reasons.

From Barron's

She created Petersham Nurseries Café, with a dirt floor, wobbly old chairs, secondhand cooking gear installed in a former potting shed, and a simple menu based on whatever was growing in the adjacent garden.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• insecure
• precarious
• rickety
• unbalanced
• uneven
• unstable
• unsteady
• weak