Word
iffy
US/ˈɪfi/
UK/ˈɪfi/
Definition
adj. describing something that is not certain or not very good. You use this when you are unsure if a plan will work or if a situation is safe.
adj. uncertain, doubtful, or of questionable quality. Informal in register; frequently used to describe the reliability of a person, the safety of a situation, or the success of a plan.
Examples
“The weather is iffy for tomorrow, so we might stay home.”
“I'm not sure if the old bridge is safe to cross; it feels a bit iffy under the car.”
“While the initial data looked promising, the researchers remained cautious, noting that the long-term results were still iffy and required further observation.”
Examples
simple
“The weather is iffy for tomorrow, so we might stay home.”
contextual
“I'm not sure if the old bridge is safe to cross; it feels a bit iffy under the car.”
complex
“While the initial data looked promising, the researchers remained cautious, noting that the long-term results were still iffy and required further observation.”
Etymology
From if + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/iffy