reliable

adjective

re·li·able | \ ri-ˈlī-ə-bəl

Definition of reliable

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : suitable or fit to be relied on : dependable

2 : giving the same result on successive trials

reliable

noun

Definition of reliable (Entry 2 of 2)

: one that is reliable

Other Words from reliable Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about reliable

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Examples of reliable in a Sentence

Adjective

He's not very reliable. You can't always count on him to do what he says he'll do. We can't write a report without reliable data. We need more reliable information before we can take action.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The 43-year-old Bryant is one of Atlanta’s most reliable offensive weapons. — Paul Newberry, The Seattle Times, "Falcons K Bryant (hamstring) likely to miss next game," 15 Oct. 2018 Condemnations of the policy have been swift and sharp, including from some of the administration’s most reliable supporters. — Ginger Thompson, Houston Chronicle, "Listen to children who’ve just been separated from their parents at the border," 18 June 2018 After years of complaints and malfunctions, the Postal Service realized that all the upgrades in the world wouldn’t make the little vehicles as safe and reliable as a Jeep. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "12 Geeky Ways to Deliver Mail: U.S. Postal Service Technology Through the Ages," 18 Jan. 2019 Until then, the Humans of Fashion app will be able to start providing reliable and confidential comfort and guidance to the thousands who suffer silently in this industry. — Brooke Bobb, Vogue, "Finally, a Holistic Approach to Combating Mental Health Issues in the Fashion Industry," 29 Aug. 2018 And much like Patrice, many people feel unsure of where to turn for reliable and easy-to-comprehend retirement advice. — Stephanie Walden, USA TODAY, "How to find balance and get your retirement plan back on track," 13 July 2018 What is needed is a cheap and reliable way of finding out whether a particular set of plants have actually been stressed by a fall of acid rain. — The Economist, "A cheap way to save rice plants from the effects of acid rain," 12 July 2018 Cranes are raising Israel's skyline north to south, east to west, with the entire country increasingly connected by fast and reliable rail. — Jeffrey Barken, Jewish Journal, "Haifa's on the rise with university leading the way," 11 July 2018 Alito had served on the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals for 15 years and had compiled a record as a smart and reliable conservative. — David G. Savage, latimes.com, "Leonard Leo of the Federalist Society is the man to see if you aspire to the Supreme Court," 6 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The general public now, however, would see Mr. Trump’s generals as the reliables, the dependables, the sophisticates of the administration. — Peggy Noonan, WSJ, "Let Calm and Cool Trump ‘Fire and Fury’," 10 Aug. 2017 North Korea's weekend launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile further demonstrated that the country is consistently trying to come up with new, better ways to keep its nuclear deterrent reliable and safe from attack. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "What's Different About North Korea's Latest Missile Test," 13 Feb. 2017 Also submitted for our hilarity are such reliables as the pot-smoking old lady and the elaborate cake that will never reach the finale intact. — Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, "Review: At ‘Table 19,’ Random Wedding Guests Straining to Laugh," 2 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reliable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.