shaky

shaky — adjective

1. trembling or shaking physically, especially because of weakness, fear, cold, ill

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

trembling or shaking physically, especially because of weakness, fear, cold, illness, or old age, often in a way the person cannot fully control.

Example

Dario's hands were so shaky that he could barely sign his name on the form.

shaky + body part — physical trembling affecting fine motor control

The elderly woman's shaky voice moved everyone in the crowded room to tears.

Common collocations
  • shaky hands
  • shaky voice
  • shaky legs
  • shaky knees
  • feel shaky
  • look shaky
Synonyms
  • trembling

    More intense and visible; focuses on the action of shaking rather than the quality of being unsteady

  • quivering

    Suggests smaller, faster movements, often from emotion like fear or excitement

  • unsteady

    Broader — can describe both physical trembling and lack of balance; less specific to visible shaking

Antonyms
  • steady

    Firm and controlled, without trembling

  • still

    Not moving at all; perfectly calm

Grammar Patterns

shaky + noun (body part)

feel/look/sound + shaky

Usage Note

Often describes visible trembling of body parts (hands, legs, voice) or the whole person. Can be used both before a noun (attributive: shaky hands, shaky voice) and after a linking verb (predicative: I feel shaky, his voice sounded shaky).

Common Mistakes

The ground was shaky during the earthquake.
The ground shook during the earthquake.
For ground movement during an earthquake, use the verb 'shake' or the adjective 'shaking'; 'shaky' typically describes a person or a body part trembling, not geological movement.

2. feeling upset, distressed, or nervous, usually as a temporary reaction to a shoc

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

feeling upset, distressed, or nervous, usually as a temporary reaction to a shocking, frightening, or stressful event.

Example

Tamás was still shaky after the car accident, even though he was not hurt.

shaky after [disturbing event] — emotional aftermath

The news of the earthquake left Isabela feeling shaky and unable to focus.

Common collocations
  • still shaky
  • feel shaky about
  • shaky after
  • a little shaky
  • visibly shaky
Synonyms
  • upset

    Broader meaning; can include sadness, anger, or worry; not specifically tied to trembling

  • rattled

    More informal, especially in British English; suggests being thrown off balance by a surprise

  • unnerved

    More formal; suggests losing confidence or courage due to fear

Antonyms
  • calm

    Relaxed and untroubled, not affected by shock

  • composed

    In full control of one's emotions, appearing collected

Grammar Patterns

feel/look/sound + shaky

shaky + about + noun/gerund

shaky + after + noun

Usage Note

Almost always used predicatively (feel/look/sound shaky). Describes a temporary emotional reaction to a specific event, not a lasting personality trait. For long-term anxiety, use 'anxious' or 'nervous' instead.

Common Mistakes

She is a very shaky person who always worries.
She is a very anxious person who always worries.
'Shaky' in this sense describes a temporary emotional state after a shock, not a long-term personality trait.

3. not firm, strong, or reliable; likely to fail, collapse, break, or be proved wro

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

not firm, strong, or reliable; likely to fail, collapse, break, or be proved wrong — used for physical objects, abstract systems, arguments, and personal knowledge.

Example

The company's finances are shaky after two years of falling sales and rising costs.

shaky finances — abstract system in danger of failing

Gita built a shaky argument that fell apart when the teacher asked one question.

shaky argument — weak reasoning that fails under scrutiny

Common collocations
  • shaky economy
  • shaky argument
  • shaky foundation
  • shaky ground
  • shaky start
  • shaky evidence
  • shaky memory
  • shaky peace
  • shaky ceasefire
  • shaky recovery
Synonyms
  • unstable

    More formal and broader; can describe chemical, emotional, or structural instability without the implication of trembling

  • precarious

    Suggests a dangerous, risky situation where collapse could happen at any moment; stronger sense of threat

  • fragile

    Easily broken physically or emotionally; focuses on vulnerability rather than movement

  • weak

    More general; lacks strength or force without the specific image of unsteadiness

Antonyms
  • solid

    Strong, firm, and reliable; the opposite of something likely to fail

  • stable

    Not likely to change or fail; firmly fixed in position or condition

  • secure

    Safe and protected from risk or loss; confident and certain

Grammar Patterns

shaky + noun (abstract or concrete)

feel/look + shaky

shaky + on + noun (details, facts)

Usage Note

Commonly modifies both concrete nouns (table, bridge, ladder) and abstract nouns (economy, argument, foundation, evidence, memory, start). The comparative (shakier) and superlative (shakiest) forms are very frequent in this sense, especially in business and political contexts.

Common Mistakes

The table is shaking, not steady.
The table is shaky, not steady.
'Shaky' is the adjective describing something that moves unsteadily or looks likely to collapse; 'shaking' means it is actively moving right now.

Word family

  • shake
    verbA2
  • shakily
    adverbB2
  • shakiness
    nounC1
  • unshakable
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/3

All four words describe something likely to fail or break, but they carry different images. 'Shaky' suggests something that visibly trembles or wobbles before collapse — like a shaky table or a shaky argument that quivers under questioning. 'Unstable' is broader and more neutral, describing anything that could move or change unpredictably (an unstable government, unstable emotions), without the visual image of trembling. 'Precarious' adds a strong sense of danger: a precarious situation could tip into disaster at any moment, whereas something shaky might just be unreliable. 'Fragile' focuses on how easily something breaks rather than how it moves — fragile glass, a fragile peace. 'Weak' is the most general, lacking strength in any dimension without suggesting movement. For example: 'The economy is shaky after the crash' suggests visible instability; 'The economy is weak' is a blunter, more general claim.

unstable ↗precarious ↗fragile ↗weak ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • a bit shaky
  • a little shaky
  • rather shaky
  • extremely shaky
  • pretty shaky
  • still shaky
  • somewhat shaky
  • visibly shaky

Phrases

  • on shaky ground
  • off to a shaky start

Prepositions

  • shaky after
  • shaky from
  • shaky about
  • shaky on
  • shaky with

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

Formed from the verb 'shake' (which comes from Old English 'sceacan', meaning to move quickly from side to side) plus the adjective suffix '-y', meaning 'full of' or 'characterized by'. First recorded in English around 1832 with the physical trembling meaning. The metaphorical senses — emotional upset and lack of stability — developed in the second half of the 1800s.