1
: affected with rickets
2
a
: lacking stability or firmness : shaky sense 2a
a rickety coalition
b
: in unsound physical condition
rickety veterans
rickety stairs
Examples of rickety in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The result was a gleaming skyscraper held up by some rickety wooden boards, duct tape, and magic.
—
Ian Stokes, Space.com, 14 Nov. 2025
Everything looks so rickety — this stadium wasn’t built for pandemonium like this.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2025
Griff's was a cozy space inside with a small, rickety wooden patio in the front and a larger one in the back.
—Brianna Griff, Chron, 13 Jan. 2023
Instead of rickety outdoor patios with plastic partitions, diners mostly ate in dining rooms.
—Nick Kindelsperger, Chicago Tribune, 28 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for rickety
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Ian Stokes, Space.com, 14 Nov. 2025
Everything looks so rickety — this stadium wasn’t built for pandemonium like this.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2025
Griff's was a cozy space inside with a small, rickety wooden patio in the front and a larger one in the back.
—Brianna Griff, Chron, 13 Jan. 2023
Instead of rickety outdoor patios with plastic partitions, diners mostly ate in dining rooms.
—Nick Kindelsperger, Chicago Tribune, 28 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for rickety
Cite this Entry
“Rickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rickety. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rickety
adjective
rick·ety
ˈrik-ət-ē 
1
: in weak physical condition
a rickety old man
2
: unsound sense 3, shaky
a rickety wagon
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