unreliable

adjective

un·​re·​li·​able ˌən-ri-ˈlī-ə-bəl How to pronounce unreliable (audio)
: not reliable : undependable, untrustworthy
an unreliable friend
an unreliable source of funding
an unreliable car
unreliability noun
the unreliability of the data
a person with a reputation for unreliability
unreliably adverb
a method that works unreliably

Examples of unreliable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
One challenge of narrating Chinese American history is that little is documented and what records do exist are often unreliable. Jane Hu, The New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2025 Regardless, the ground game has been unreliable, to put it nicely. Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025 Ten inches fell in Orleans Parish on Feb. 14, 1895, NOAA says, but NWS says the record is unreliable. Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 21 Jan. 2025 The data was unreliable, as CoolerX’s hardware frequently malfunctioned, while Walgreens’ outdated tech contributed to glitches. Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 17 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for unreliable 

Word History

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unreliable was in 1810

Dictionary Entries Near unreliable

Cite this Entry

“Unreliable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unreliable. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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