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
Synonyms
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
Their intimate knowledge of artistic symbiosis adds a poignant underlay to Hawke and Linklater’s reunion on Blue Moon, a transfixing character study that X-rays the shaky skeleton of a creative partnership of comparable duration.
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2025
President Biden was fully expected to be the Democratic nominee until a shaky debate performance on June 27 caused many, even in his own party, to call for a new nominee.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 17 Feb. 2025
Walters bounced back from his shaky first inning to go five innings with 10 strikeouts.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2025
The onetime bulletproof group of stocks, called the Mag 7, for the first time in over two years look shaky.
—Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for shaky 
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David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2025
President Biden was fully expected to be the Democratic nominee until a shaky debate performance on June 27 caused many, even in his own party, to call for a new nominee.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 17 Feb. 2025
Walters bounced back from his shaky first inning to go five innings with 10 strikeouts.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2025
The onetime bulletproof group of stocks, called the Mag 7, for the first time in over two years look shaky.
—Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for shaky
Dictionary Entries Near shaky
Cite this Entry
“Shaky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shaky. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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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