# ramshackle

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈɹæmˌʃæk.əl/ · frequency rank #57,662

## Definitions
1. In disrepair or disorder; poorly maintained; lacking upkeep, usually of buildings or vehicles.
2. Badly or carelessly organized.

## Etymology
First attested in 1830, a back-formation from ramshackled, from ransackled, past participle of ransackle (“to ransack”), frequentative of Middle English ransaken (“to pillage”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ramshackle