verb / noun

wobble

WAH-buhl/ˈwɑːbl/

Unsteady movement from side to side.

The ceramic bowl wobbles on its rounded foot as hands hover nearby.

A ceramic bowl balanced on its rounded foot rocks from side to side on a wooden tabletop, tilted slightly with restrained double motion contours marking alternating positions, nearby person's hovering hands ready to catch it.

Etymology

Wobble probably comes from Low German wabbeln, already meaning unsteady side-to-side movement. The proposed ancestor thus carries the same physical image as the English verb.

In context

courtCHOPT37:42

showing my client backing frantically out of her garage to go look for John O'Keefe, actually does show the other car wobble. It shows contact. You can see the other car move

Karen Read Trial - October 2022 - Pre-Trial 1 - Motions Hearing

More examples

The toddler wobbled across the room on unsteady legs.
A loose wheel gives the cart a noticeable wobble.
Her confidence wobbles when she faces a tough question.

Forms

wobble · wobbles · wobbled · wobbling

wobbly adjective — Unsteady and likely to shake or tip.

Similar words

sway: Suggests smoother side-to-side movement, not necessarily a loss of balance.
totter: Emphasizes being close to falling, especially while standing or walking.
rock: Suggests repeated back-and-forth movement that may be steady and controlled.