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adjective B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

shaky

SHAY-kee

Shaky (adjective) means trembling or unsteady, whether physically or figuratively. Example: “Her hands were shaky after the coffee.”

adjective
1
Trembling or unsteady, whether physically or figuratively.
"Her hands were shaky after the coffee."
"His grasp of French grammar is still a bit shaky."

How to use shaky

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishPhysically trembling, or figuratively unreliable and uncertain.

Common pairings
shaky hands shaky ground shaky start

Word forms

shakier comparative, shakiest superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

Her hands were _____ after the coffee.

Etymology

"Shake" plus "-y".

Rhymes for shaky

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Frequently asked questions

What does “shaky” mean?

The word “shaky” means trembling or unsteady, whether physically or figuratively. In plain terms, physically trembling, or figuratively unreliable and uncertain.

How do you pronounce “shaky”?

“Shaky” is pronounced SHAY-kee (/ˈʃeɪki/ in IPA).

How do you use “shaky” in a sentence?

Here is “shaky” used in a sentence: “Her hands were shaky after the coffee.”

What part of speech is “shaky”?

“Shaky” is an adjective.

Is “shaky” a common word?

“Shaky” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial