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
Synonyms of shaky
Examples of shaky in a Sentence
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
Rewind back to 2006, when times were tough, government surveillance in the name of national security was upping the paranoia factor, the Middle East was in crisis, and an American president had started a war on foreign soil and shaky grounds.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2026
Though the assessor’s office relies heavily on data and modeling, its conclusions, outside appeals and internal policies can drastically change values and make the office’s political tightrope shaky.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
For many, including some of the interviewees in Evans’ film, that shaky minute of 16mm footage is the holy grail, indisputable proof that Bigfoot — aka Sasquatch, Yeti, or the Abominable Snowman — walks the earth.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
Theroux is a hoot as the cult fixer with a past, thoroughly having a blast as this mysterious guy whose shaky history is about to catch up with him.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shaky
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David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2026
Though the assessor’s office relies heavily on data and modeling, its conclusions, outside appeals and internal policies can drastically change values and make the office’s political tightrope shaky.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
For many, including some of the interviewees in Evans’ film, that shaky minute of 16mm footage is the holy grail, indisputable proof that Bigfoot — aka Sasquatch, Yeti, or the Abominable Snowman — walks the earth.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
Theroux is a hoot as the cult fixer with a past, thoroughly having a blast as this mysterious guy whose shaky history is about to catch up with him.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shaky
Cite this Entry
“Shaky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shaky. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shaky
adjective
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
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