ramshackle
adjective
ram·shack·le
| \ ˈram-ˌsha-kəl
\
\
Definition of ramshackle
1
: appearing ready to collapse : rickety
2
: carelessly or loosely constructed
a ramshackle plot
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Examples of ramshackle in a Sentence
The movie's ramshackle plot is confusing and not believable.
Recent Examples on the Web
MLB Capital revealed new renderings of the project illustrating upgrades planned for property, now a mix of ramshackle buildings and old warehouses. — Nancy Sarnoff, Houston Chronicle, "Plans for Airline farmers market unveiled at groundbreaking," 7 Aug. 2019 The ash barrels lining the street and the ramshackle buildings and the friendly visitors to the poor dominate and infantilize them. — Longreads, "A Minor Figure," 20 July 2019 Steinbeck’s earliest literary hit was, in fact, 1935’s Tortilla Flat, a collection of humorous stories that follow the escapades of a group of friends in the ramshackle hills above Monterey, California. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "A Steinbeck Story About a Chef and His Cat Has Been Published in English for the First Time," 1 Aug. 2019 Lastly, there is Muriel (Anne Reid), the grandmother who lives alone in a ramshackle house in Manchester where everybody gathers once a year, and then more frequently as the situation in the world begins to deteriorate. — Tim Goodman, The Hollywood Reporter, "Critic's Notebook: HBO's 'Years and Years' Is Unsettling, But Needs to Be Seen," 31 July 2019 Two hours south east of Reno, ramshackle Walker Lake is nestled between the shimmering body of water that bears its name and the sprawling Wassuk Range, accessible only by a single road: U.S. Highway 95. — Thomas Peele, The Mercury News, "Gilroy gunman holed up in isolated Nevada town where it’s easy to be anonymous," 30 July 2019 The city of Crystal Lake is seeking to tear down the ramshackle house where authorities say a 5-year-old boy was beaten to death, allegedly by his parents. — Clifford Ward, chicagotribune.com, "Crystal Lake officials seek to have dilapidated, unoccupied family home of slain 5-year-old ‘AJ’ Freund torn down," 29 July 2019 Visual artists and lighting designers can trick you into believing you’re somewhere other than a ramshackle space in a desolate part of the city. — Liz Ohanesian, Billboard, "Camera's Ready, Prepare to Flash: 10 Essential '90s Rave Jams," 11 July 2019 Winter weather on the Aegean was unpredictable, and the ramshackle crafts used by the smugglers often sank. — Matthew Wolfe, Harper's magazine, "Without a Trace," 10 Feb. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ramshackle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for ramshackle
ramshackle
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of ramshackle
: in a very bad condition and needing to be repaired
: not carefully made or put together
See the full definition for ramshackle in the English Language Learners Dictionary
ramshackle
adjective
ram·shack·le
| \ ˈram-ˌsha-kəl
\
\
Kids Definition of ramshackle
: ready to fall down
a ramshackle barn
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