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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.

My legs are wobbly, and Dara grabs my hand to steady me.

From Literature

Ms. Arquette does a wobbly Irish accent for some reason, possibly sheer boredom.

From The Wall Street Journal

He moved the heavy, wobbly old wardrobe away from the wall with surprising ease and pulled my bed into the center of the room.

From Literature

It was not the high, wobbly yowl of a cub, but the pure, heart-wrenching song of a young wolf.

From Literature

After Monday’s respite from Iran angst, U.S. stocks appear set for a wobbly open.

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.