as in erratic
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
I wouldn't count on him to show up for the play—he's pretty unreliable. She drives her car locally, but worries it's too unreliable for longer trips.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unreliable
Democrats have long struggled to harness the enthusiasm of younger audiences, who often lean left but view the party as an unreliable ally on progressive demands.
—
Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 2 Apr. 2025
Veneno, ever the anti-hero and unreliable narrator, vacillates between her self-serving and diabolical impulses throughout the arc of her character.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 28 Mar. 2025
However, in a world shaped by unprecedented political and economic shifts, traditional predictions feel increasingly unreliable.
—John Moss, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
This wasn’t merely a technical glitch but a life-altering ordeal for someone who faced serious criminal charges based on algorithms that proved unreliable.
—Lars Daniel, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unreliable
Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 2 Apr. 2025
Veneno, ever the anti-hero and unreliable narrator, vacillates between her self-serving and diabolical impulses throughout the arc of her character.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 28 Mar. 2025
However, in a world shaped by unprecedented political and economic shifts, traditional predictions feel increasingly unreliable.
—John Moss, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
This wasn’t merely a technical glitch but a life-altering ordeal for someone who faced serious criminal charges based on algorithms that proved unreliable.
—Lars Daniel, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unreliable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unreliable
Adjective
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So there’s always these really erratic twists and turns.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
4 Apr. 2025
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Shut out through eight innings, Colorado took advantage of an erratic outing by Jose Alvarado in the ninth.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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As July turned to August in 2021, Ian Happ’s long-term future with the Chicago Cubs was in on shaky ground as a terrible first half saw his playing time reduced to coming off the bench for stretches.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2025
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Meanwhile, smartphone feature upgrades have become more incremental, and in a shaky economy, people will be more than willing to hold on to their devices for just a bit longer.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But without a strong messaging foundation, those pieces can feel scattered, inconsistent, or even contradictory.—
Rhea Wessel,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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His current form may be inconsistent at best, but Finau believes the best results of his career are still ahead of him.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But while the stock market is often a fickle friend, as are commodities such as oil and natural gas, wheat and corn, part of what was so shocking in 2022 was the simultaneous slump in government and corporate bonds, which proved as undependable as stocks.—
,
CNBC,
18 Feb. 2025
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Food, water and other resources would have to be shipped from home, at distances that make the supply frighteningly undependable.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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In recent years Ye has taken to sharing controversial political and social beliefs online, often spouting antisemitic screeds on X that valorize the swastika symbol and accusing Jews of being untrustworthy, among other things.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2025
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Coal industry executives disown him for being an untrustworthy counterparty.—
Christopher Helman,
Forbes,
10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Fittingly, given the unpredictable nature of the campaign, who knows what the result or circumstances will be at Tottenham Hotspur on the day Hurzeler’s first season draws to a close?—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
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Probably Not Complicating matters is that Trump’s trade policy is unpredictable.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Relievers have always been volatile, prone to inconsistency and bouts of wildness.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
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Trading since has been extremely volatile, with the stock down 13% on Friday, leaving it 18% above its IPO price.—
Annie Palmer,Leslie Picker,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This unstable dwelling, with its crumbling walls and lack of proper bedrooms for the children, comes to stand for a far more sinister lack of boundaries.—
Leslie Camhi,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2025
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If someone is making credible threats or is mentally unstable, existing laws already allow for arrests, mental health evaluations, and emergency detentions—all of which come with constitutional safeguards.—
Lee Habeeb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unreliable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unreliable. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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