What does shattery mean?
Shattery is an informal adjective describing something that seems liable to break or shatter. It commonly refers to old, damaged, poorly made, or worn objects, such as furniture, windows, fences, or vehicles. The word carries a strongly physical association: a shattery object is not merely theoretically fragile but appears damaged or worn enough to be dangerous or easily broken. It can also describe material, such as glass or wood, when its condition suggests that it may break. The term is especially common in British English, although it is understood in American English as well. Its force comes from combining the concrete idea of breakage with the implication of neglect, age, or deterioration. Consequently, “shattery” often communicates more than “fragile,” because it suggests that the object has already been weakened and may soon fail.
adjectiveIn a condition that is liable to break or shatter; fragile or in poor condition.
- Liable to break or shatter, especially because of age, damage, or poor construction.
"The old chair looked increasingly shattery after years of rough use."
"The windows in the abandoned house were thin and shattery."
"After the storm, the old wooden fence was left shattery and leaning."
A shattery object is one whose next touch may be its last.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shattery come from?
Shattery was formed by adding the adjectival suffix -y to the base shatter. The deeper origin of shatter is uncertain, although the word is recorded in Middle English in forms referring to breaking or dispersing into fragments. Modern derivatives include shattered and shattering, all sharing the same sense of violent or sudden breakage.
How shattery is actually used
Informal and usually British, though also understood in the United States. It is often used for visibly worn objects rather than for an abstract quality such as a fragile political situation.
Easily confused with shattery
Shatter is the verb meaning to break suddenly into pieces, whereas shattery is an adjective describing something liable to break.