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.
The challenge is that the hands-on nature of these tasks can lead to unreported problems and unreliable data, exacerbating costly inefficiencies. Jairam Ranganathan, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025 After the first round of tariffs earlier this month, China’s retaliatory measures included raising duties on certain U.S. energy imports and putting two U.S. companies on an unreliable entities list that could restrict their ability to do business in the Asian country. Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025 Turbine-smooth and powerful, the rotary was also notoriously failure-prone due to unreliable rotor seals that ultimately doomed NSU—and the engine generally. Raphael Orlove, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2025 Currently, infrastructure projects require multiple rounds of unreliable state and federal grant funding — and multiple rounds of unpredictable grant application cycles — before ever reaching the construction phase. Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 26 Feb. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Unreliable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unreliable. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.

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