adj C2 Proficient

rickety

RIHK-ih-tee

Rickety (adj) means Weak, shaky, or unstable, typically because of poor construction or age. Example: “The rickety old bridge creaked with every step.”

adj

Weak, shaky, or unstable, typically because of poor construction or age.

"The rickety old bridge creaked with every step."

"We sat on a rickety wooden bench outside the shop."

How to use rickety

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWobbly and unstable, like something about to fall apart.

Common pairings

rickety chair rickety staircase rickety old fence

Word forms

ricketier comparative, more rickety comparative, ricketiest superlative, most rickety superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “rickety” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The _____ old bridge creaked with every step.

Etymology

Probably from a dialect word "ricket" meaning unstable, possibly influenced by the word rickets.

Synonyms

View more →

bockety bone-shaking craichy cranky creaky creaking drooping flimsy precarious unsteady rottletrap shackly

Antonyms

firm resilient robust rugged safe solid secure stalwart

Related words

house business company hard strong result safe agency

Rhymes for rickety

piety ninety safety gaiety surety tweety anxiety society naivety velvety fidgety entirety

See all rhymes for rickety →

Frequently asked questions

What does “rickety” mean?

The word “rickety” means weak, shaky, or unstable, typically because of poor construction or age. In plain terms, wobbly and unstable, like something about to fall apart.

How do you pronounce “rickety”?

“Rickety” is pronounced RIHK-ih-tee (/ˈɹɪk.ɪ.ti/ in IPA).

How do you use “rickety” in a sentence?

Here is “rickety” used in a sentence: “The rickety old bridge creaked with every step.”

What is another word for “rickety”?

Words with a similar meaning to “rickety” include bockety, bone-shaking, craichy, cranky, creaky and creaking.

What is the opposite of “rickety”?

The opposite of “rickety” — its antonyms — are firm, resilient, robust, rugged and safe.

What part of speech is “rickety”?

“Rickety” is an adjective.

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include rickety:

C2 vocabulary words

People also searched

house business company hard strong result safe agency