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shaky

shaky

59 2.1
Not steady and trembling, often from fear, cold, or tiredness
  • adjective
  • /ˈʃeɪki/
translation icon : tembloroso
  • His hands were shaky from the excitement of performing in front of a large audience.
  • shaky hands

And so it leads to shaky hands, some flare speech.

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Examples

  • "I think it's done," he said in a shaky sort of voice.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The camera follows her as she goes on shaky legs down the hall.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • I feel a bit shaky, but I think I handled it nicely.

  • You look a little shaky, a little queasy.

  • His name was on the front, written in a shaky, childish scrawl.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Disbelieving, she raised one shaky hand to touch the warm tracks on her cheeks.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • His voice was a little shaky, a little rough. "If you don't mind my boldness, you look stunning."

    Fiction book (1992)
  • I jotted down the address of the chapel in shaky handwriting.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • After the earthquake, the old building looked shaky and unsafe for use.

  • She took a shaky step onto the tightrope, trying to maintain her balance.

Synonyms

wobbly
vsshaky
36 3.6

Unsteady and likely to move from side to side

is more general for any lack of steadiness not only side to side motion
jittery
vsshaky
26 4.5

Feeling nervous and unable to stay still

means an unstable state from slow shaking or lack of balance not quick fidgeting
rickety
vsshaky
18 5.9

Unstable and likely to fall, like an old chair or bridge

focuses on general physical instability not only old or poorly built objects
unsteady
vsshaky
16 3.3

Not firm or balanced and likely to fall

also covers actual physical shaking and small movements not just poor balance
wonky
vsshaky
6 7.7

Not steady or straight and likely to wobble

is used more for simple instability or shaking rather than being crooked
shivering
vsshaky
3 2.2

Trembling a little because of cold, fear, or excitement

is narrower often meaning a cold reaction rather than general instability
aquiver
vsshaky
1 9.9

Shaking slightly, often because of excitement or strong feeling

can also mean unstable or not steady beyond excited slight movement
trembling
vsshaky
1 2.6

Shaking slightly because you feel afraid, cold, or weak

includes lack of stability and can mean unsteady rather than only small shakes
trembly
vsshaky
1 4.4

Shaking slightly in the hands and voice because of fear or weakness

is more general including unstable or not steady situations beyond slight shaking
quivery
vsshaky
1 5.0

Shaking slightly because of strong feelings or weakness

is used more broadly for any unstable condition not only emotional small shakes
tottery
vsshaky
1 8.4

Unsteady and shaky because of weakness or old age

is broader and applies to general instability not only weak movement in people
atremble
vsshaky
  • Archaic
9.8

Shaking because you feel afraid, excited, or cold

is more general also covering lack of steadiness in objects or people
quavery
vsshaky
7.7

Shaky in the voice, often showing nervousness or strong feeling

is broader applying to bodies or objects as well as voice instability

Antonyms

186 1.3

Firm and unlikely to be moved or upset

Compounds

A nervous, unsteady display of skill that lacks confidence

How Shaky

trembling
1 2.7
shaky
59 2.1
wobbly
36 3.6
unsteady
16 3.3

Surface Forms

shaky positive
shakier comparative
shakiest superlative

Morphology

shaky = shake (transparent) = shake + y

Formed by adding the productive adjective-forming suffix '-y' to 'shake', giving the sense 'tending to shake'.

Etymology

Shaky comes from the common verb shake, which means 'to move back and forth', plus the ending -y that means 'tending to' or 'full of'. So shaky literally means 'tending to shake', which is why we use it for hands, legs, or a body that is trembling.