shaky

[shey-kee]

adjective

shakier, shakiest 

1. tending to shake or tremble.

2. trembling; tremulous.

3. liable to break down or give way; insecure; not to be depended upon.

   a shaky bridge.

4. wavering, as in allegiance.

   His loyalty, always shaky, was now nonexistent.

shaky

/ ˈʃeɪkɪ /

adjective

1. tending to shake or tremble

2. liable to prove defective; unreliable

3. uncertain or questionable

   your arguments are very shaky

Other Word Forms

• shakiness noun
• shakily adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of shaky¹

First recorded in 1695–1705; shake + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Scotland battled hard and deserved a point after a shaky start where they continually failed to keep the ball.

From BBC

After a shaky first year in office, buffeted by shrivelling approval ratings, he confronts a buoyant Reform UK.

From BBC

She arrived in New York in shaky form, winning just two matches in her past four tournaments.

From BBC

Detroit looked shaky in the preseason with some coaching turnover and new play-callers.

From Los Angeles Times

The industry feels pretty shaky right now: fewer jobs, studio consolidation, anxiety around AI.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• insecure 
• jittery 
• nervous 
• precarious 
• rickety 
• rocky 
• unsettled 
• unstable 
• unsteady 
• weak 
• wobbly