unreliable

adjective

un·​re·​li·​able ˌən-ri-ˈlī-ə-bəl How to pronounce unreliable (audio)
Synonyms of unreliablenext
: 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.
China is proving to be an unreliable friend to Iran in this moment of crisis, and any authoritarian regime that’s counting on Beijing as its backstop should think again. Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026 About 600 million people across the continent still lack access to power and many more face unreliable supplies. ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026 The Highland Senior Center is concerned with its unreliable air conditioning system as a potentially record-breaking heat wave hits San Bernardino County. Zach Boetto, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026 Jules is an unreliable narrator. Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026 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 17 Mar. 2026.

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