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Unsteady vs Shaky - What's the difference?

unsteady | shaky | Related terms |

Shaky is a synonym of unsteady.



As adjectives the difference between unsteady and shaky

is that unsteady is not held firmly in position, physically unstable while shaky is shaking or trembling.

As a verb unsteady

is to render unsteady, removing balance.

unsteady

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Not held firmly in position, physically unstable.
  • :
  • *
  • *:"Mid-Lent, and the Enemy grins," remarked Selwyn as he started for church with Nina and the children. Austin, knee-deep in a dozen Sunday supplements, refused to stir; poor little Eileen was now convalescent from grippe, but still unsteady on her legs; her maid had taken the grippe, and now moaned all day:"
  • Noted for lack of regularity or uniformity.
  • Inconstant in purpose, or volatile in behavior.

    • Synonyms

    * (not held or fixed securely and likely to fall over) precarious, rickety, shaky, tottering, unsafe, unstable, wobbly

    Antonyms

    * steady

    Verb

  • To render unsteady, removing balance.

    • shaky

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Shaking]] or [[tremble, trembling.
    • a shaky spot in a marsh
    a shaky hand
  • Nervous]]; [[anxious, Anxious.
    • He’s a nice guy but when he talks to me, he acts shaky .
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=April 10 , author=Alistair Magowan , title=Aston Villa 1 - 0 Newcastle , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Villa had plenty of opportunities to make the game safe after a shaky start and despite not reaching any great heights, they were resolute enough to take control of the game in the second half. }}
  • (of wood) Full of shakes or cracks; cracked.
    • shaky timber
  • * (seeCites2)
  • Easily shaken; tottering; unsound.
    • a shaky constitution
    shaky business credit

    Synonyms

    * (not held or fixed securely and likely to fall over) precarious, rickety, unsteady, tottering, unsafe, unstable, wobbly

    Derived terms

    * shakiness * shakycam