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Glite Dictionary
😬 Strange or nervous 🚗 Unstable or hard to control
squirrely

squirrely

1 8.6
Moving in a way that is not steady and hard to control, like a car
  • adjective
  • /ˈskwɜrli/
  • Informal
translation icon : inestable
  • The car felt squirrely on the icy road.

But it's, it's very fast and it gets a little squirrely.

Examples

  • If your skateboard gets squirrely at high speeds, check the wheels and trucks for problems.

  • The car felt squirrely on the icy road, making it hard to keep in a straight line.

  • After the repairs, the bike was less squirrely and much easier to handle.

  • This bike is too squirrely for me to ride safely.

  • The car felt squirrely on the icy road, making it hard to steer straight.

  • When the wind picked up, the bike became squirrely, swerving unexpectedly with every gust.

  • He struggled to maintain control of the squirrely drone as it darted around the sky.

Synonyms

tippy
vssquirrely
8 7.5

Unsteady and likely to fall over easily

is about quick sideways swerving that causes loss of control not tipping
wonky
vssquirrely
6 7.7

Not steady or straight and likely to wobble

is about sudden movement and control problems rather than crooked position
drifty
vssquirrely
7.1

Likely to be pushed off course by wind or water

is more about sudden swerving that makes control difficult

Antonyms

stable
473 2.3

Not likely to change and stays steady over time

controlled
3.4

Kept within limits by careful management

How Unstable

erratic
94 6.1
squirrely
  • Informal
1 8.6
wobbly
36 3.6
unsteady
16 3.3

Surface Forms

squirrely positive
squirrelyer comparative
squirreliest superlative

Morphology

squirrely = squirrel (semi-transparent) = squirrel + y

The adjective is derived from 'squirrel' with a metaphorical extension to describe erratic or skittish motion (e.g., a car that feels like it may dart unpredictably).

Etymology

Squirrely comes from squirrel + -y, and it makes you think of a squirrel that darts and changes direction suddenly. So when a car or bike feels 'squirrely' it is 'unstable' and likely to swerve, which makes it hard to control.