What does shakier mean?
Shakier is the comparative form of shaky and means more unsteady, insecure, or unreliable. It is most immediately associated with physical balance or movement, as in describing hands that tremble or footing that feels unstable, but it is also widely used for financial, political, and institutional conditions whose stability is in doubt. Saying that an economy or government has become “shakier” suggests that it is losing confidence, support, or resilience. In ordinary speech, alternatives such as “less stable,” “less secure,” or “more uncertain” may sound more formal or precise, especially when a physical sense is not intended. As a comparative, shakier normally requires an understood comparison: something is shakier than it was, than another thing, or than expected. The word is common in both British and American English.
adjectiveComparative of shaky: unsteady or insecure, especially in movement, balance, or reliability.
- Comparative of shaky: unsteady, insecure, or unreliable.
"Her hands grew shakier as she tried to untangle the thread."
"The bridge felt shakier than it had during the previous inspection."
"After the announcement, confidence in the company became shakier."
When a situation feels shaky, a small tremor can reveal how much stability was never really there.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of shakier
Shaky comes from the English verb shake, which has roots in the Germanic language family and is related cognately to forms such as Dutch schudden and German schütteln. The adjective developed with the suffix -y, while the comparative shakier uses the standard English comparative ending -er. The core meaning of shaking or moving unsteadily later extended to situations characterized by instability or uncertainty.
Related word forms
How shakier is actually used
The comparative is used mainly with two or more people or things. It is especially common in contexts involving balance, movement, nerves, confidence, markets, and institutions.
Easily confused with shakier
“Shaky” is the base adjective, while “shakier” compares two people or things and means more shaky.