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Synonyms

wobbly

1 American  
[wob-lee] / ˈwɒb li /
Or wabbly

adjective

wobblier, wobbliest

  1. shaky; unsteady.

Wobbly 2 American  
[wob-lee] / ˈwɒb li /

noun

plural

Wobblies

  1. a member of the Industrial Workers of the World.

wobbly 1 British  
/ ˈwɒblɪ /

adjective

  1. unsteady

  2. trembling, shaking

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. slang to become suddenly very agitated or angry

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Wobbly 2 British  
/ ˈwɒblɪ /

noun

  1. a member of the Industrial Workers of the World

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • wobbliness noun

Etymology

Origin of wobbly1

First recorded in 1850–55; wobble + -y 1

Origin of Wobbly2

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15; of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

India’s traditional pillars of support are weak or wobbly.

From The Wall Street Journal

He pulled open the burrow door and marched outside, where Magic was positioned with paw to forehead, mouth agape, trembling in fear, and wobbly.

From Literature

Oh, I was still a little nervous and a bit wobbly on my feet, but otherwise I felt pretty good.

From Literature

The home-improvement retailer has said that economic uncertainty, including slipping home prices and a wobbly job market, have led homeowners to delay remodeling projects.

From The Wall Street Journal

When my spoon broke through the wobbly layer of cheesy bread and resurfaced all gooey and molten, the winter suddenly didn’t seem so bad.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.