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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.
Most current humanoid robots require specialized inputs, such as depth sensors or motion-capture markers, but these can be unreliable or difficult to use in unpredictable settings. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Dec. 2025 Karl Marx had identified them as unreliable characters, politically and otherwise. Diedrich Diederichsen, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025 However, early versions were also unreliable and required rearchitecting systems. Scott D. Anthony, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2025 Gardner now helps Indianapolis survive without generating takeaways, a critical, but often unreliable, source of defensive success from week to week. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 29 Nov. 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 5 Dec. 2025.

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