ricketiest
Least structurally sound
Ricketiest is the superlative form of rickety, describing something in the most unstable, shaky, or poorly constructed condition compared to others.
A rickety structure wobbles, creaks, or seems likely to collapse at any moment.
That's the ricketiest chair I've ever sat in—I'm surprised it held my weight.
The word often applies to old furniture, stairs, bridges, or anything held together precariously.
Breaking down gradually
- ramshackleBadly deteriorated from neglect
- tumbledownRuined through neglect
- decrepitWorn by age
- derelictAbandoned or neglectful
ruinous · decayed · neglected · shabby · worn · rotting · decaying · moldering
Tending to teeter
- shakyTrembling or unstable
- totteringMoving unsteadily, nearly falling
- teeteringUnstably balanced, nearly falling
- unsteadyLacking balance or stability
swaying · rocking · lurching · trembling · quivering · oscillating · wavering · faltering
Poorly and hastily constructed
- slapdashHasty and careless
- cobbledSurfaced with rounded stones
- flimsyWeak and easily damaged
- haphazardLacking organization or plan
crude · improvised · patched · thrown-together · gimcrack · bodged · rough-hewn · unfinished
crumbling
Breaking down gradually
- ramshackleBadly deteriorated from neglect
- tumbledownRuined through neglect
- decrepitWorn by age
derelict · ruinous · decayed · neglected · shabby · worn · rotting · decaying · moldering · blighted
wobbly
Tending to teeter
- shakyTrembling or unstable
- totteringMoving unsteadily, nearly falling
- teeteringUnstably balanced, nearly falling
unsteady · swaying · rocking · lurching · trembling · quivering · oscillating · wavering · faltering · reeling
jerry-built
Poorly and hastily constructed
haphazard · crude · improvised · patched · thrown-together · gimcrack · bodged · rough-hewn · unfinished
brittle
Liable to shatter
flimsy · frangible · insubstantial · tenuous · gossamer · wispy · shatterable · crackable · fine · papery