shaky

1 of 2

adjective

ˈshā-kē 

shakier; shakiest

1

: characterized by shakes

shaky timber

2

a

: lacking stability : precarious

a shaky economy

performed well after a shaky start

b

: lacking in firmness (as of beliefs or principles)

c

: lacking in authority or reliability : questionable

shaky experimental procedures

shaky data

3

a

: somewhat unsound in health

b

: characterized by shaking

4

: likely to give way or break down

a shaky ladder

shakily

ˈshā-kə-lē 

adverb

shakiness

ˈshā-kē-nəs 

noun

shakiness

2 of 2

noun

shak·​i·​ness -kēnə̇s 

-kin-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being shaky

Synonyms of shaky

Adjective

• shaking
• trembly
• trembling
• quivering
• shuddering
• wobbly

Examples of shaky in a Sentence

Adjective

She took a few shaky steps before she collapsed.

Her commitment to the cause seems shaky.

Their marriage is on shaky ground.

The team has performed better lately after getting off to a shaky start.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

And his big-game jitters were reflected in the first inning of what was eventually a 1-0 loss, when his shaky command led to him loading the bases with two outs. — Jesús Cano, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

The first few series for Marshall were a little shaky, and Kansas led just 6-0 early in the second quarter. — ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026

Stocks kicked off September on shaky footing as higher oil prices and Treasury yields tested investors' appetite for some of the market's biggest artificial intelligence winners. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026

Even though the business of Broadway has been shaky since the pandemic, in many years there still are more shows looking to open than there are theaters to hold them. — Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1703, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing shaky

• on shaky ground
• rests on shaky ground

Rhymes for shaky

• flaky
• reiki
• snaky

Kids Definition

shaky

adjective

ˈshā-kē 

shakier; shakiest

1

a

: lacking firmness

b

: lacking in authority or reliability : questionable

shaky data

2

: marked by shaking : trembling

3

: likely to give way or break down

shakily

-kə-lē 

adverb

shakiness

-kē-nəs 

noun