as in dilapidated
not strong or stable and likely to break
rickety stairs a rickety old table
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rickety
And third, after years of gerrymandering and Republican consolidation of power, the Democratic turnout machine is exceedingly rickety.
—
Tad Friend,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
They will now be soldered together to form a financially rickety public hospital system.
—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
Along those lines, the rickety regional sports network model certainly is a concern, especially with the Giants owning a chunk of NBC Sports Bay Area.
—
Susan Slusser,
San Francisco Chronicle,
5 Jan. 2026
The result was a gleaming skyscraper held up by some rickety wooden boards, duct tape, and magic.
—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rickety
Tad Friend,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
They will now be soldered together to form a financially rickety public hospital system.
—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
Along those lines, the rickety regional sports network model certainly is a concern, especially with the Giants owning a chunk of NBC Sports Bay Area.
—
Susan Slusser,
San Francisco Chronicle,
5 Jan. 2026
The result was a gleaming skyscraper held up by some rickety wooden boards, duct tape, and magic.
—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rickety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rickety
Adjective
-
The Reflecting Pool has been a pet project of the president, who, before renovations got underway this spring, characterized it as dilapidated and dirty and said previous presidents had neglected it.
-
Unable to pay rent, the boys moved several hours away to the small, dilapidated house with the leaky roof where rent is minimal.
Adjective
-
Police soon descended on the family's Massapequa Park home, the only ramshackle house in an otherwise upscale suburban neighborhood about 35 miles east of New York City.
-
After Goldberg’s death, a friend, Henry Gifford, reluctantly stepped in to the role of executor and found the place in ramshackle condition.
Cite this Entry
“Rickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rickety. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
