Meaning & use
shaky foundation
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Meanings
nouncountablefigurative
A base of ideas, facts, or support that is weak and likely to fail.
Grammar: Usually used with an or the, and often in the plural: the plan rests on shaky foundations.
Patterns
- rest on a shaky foundation
- build something on a shaky foundation
- a shaky foundation for something
Their argument rests on a shaky foundation of guesswork.
The company was built on a shaky foundation of borrowed money.
Without proper research, the whole theory has a shaky foundation.
nouncountabletechnical
A physical base that is not strong or steady enough to support what stands on it.
Grammar: Used literally for buildings and structures; the verb "be" or "stand on" often comes before it.
Patterns
- stand on a shaky foundation
- a shaky foundation for a building
The old tower stands on a shaky foundation of cracked stone.
Engineers warned that the new wall had a shaky foundation.
Word forms
| plural | shaky foundations |
|---|
Common combinations
- rest on a shaky foundation
- His whole theory rests on a shaky foundation.
- build something on a shaky foundation
- They built the business on a shaky foundation of unpaid loans.
- a shaky foundation for something
- Rumors are a shaky foundation for a news story.
- leave something on shaky foundations
- The previous manager left the team on shaky foundations.
- a shaky financial foundation
- The charity has a shaky financial foundation.
Synonyms and how they differ
- weak base
- A plainer phrase with the same idea; shaky foundation is more vivid and often suggests the weakness is hidden.
- insecure footing
- Often used for positions or relationships rather than arguments; shaky foundation fits discussions of evidence and support.
- unsound basis
- More formal and technical, common in reports; shaky foundation is more everyday and figurative.
Opposites
Word family
- shake verb
- To move quickly from side to side or up and down.
- shakily adverb
- In a way that is unsteady or not confident.
- shakiness noun
- The state of being unsteady or unreliable.
Commonly confused: shaky foundation or shaky grounds?
shaky foundation vs shaky grounds
Shaky grounds usually refers to weak reasons for an action or belief, while a shaky foundation is the base itself that supports something.
Practice
Choose the sentence that uses "shaky foundation" most naturally.
Choose one answer.
A shaky foundation is a weak base of ideas or support, so a rumor built on gossip fits perfectly. Option A confuses it with a physical injury, option C makes no sense with "gave", and option D wrongly uses the phrase as a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “shaky foundation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.