unreliable
adjective
un·re·li·able
ˌən-ri-ˈlī-ə-bəl 
: 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
Examples of unreliable in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There is a solution to the electricity woes — building and approving new natural gas and nuclear energy projects over expensive, unreliable offshore wind and solar projects.
—
Jennifer Nassour, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
Polling in mayoral races is typically pretty unreliable.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
My father called the animal-control office, which was notoriously unreliable; in this case, someone there talked to the owner a couple of times and then gave up.
—Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 31 May 2026
Ousmane Dembele has been transformed from a talented but unreliable and injury-prone winger into a Ballon d’Or-winning striker.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unreliable
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Jennifer Nassour, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
Polling in mayoral races is typically pretty unreliable.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
My father called the animal-control office, which was notoriously unreliable; in this case, someone there talked to the owner a couple of times and then gave up.
—Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 31 May 2026
Ousmane Dembele has been transformed from a talented but unreliable and injury-prone winger into a Ballon d’Or-winning striker.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unreliable
Cite this Entry
“Unreliable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unreliable. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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