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.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unreliable
Consumers are increasingly turning to cyberspace for guidance about health and medicine, yet a growing number of sites offer unreliable information, new research shows.
—
Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Renewable energy is neither unreliable nor unaffordable.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
But what about unreliable heroes?
—John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Because we're deemed an unreliable supplier.
—Drew Hawkins, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unreliable
Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Renewable energy is neither unreliable nor unaffordable.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
But what about unreliable heroes?
—John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
Because we're deemed an unreliable supplier.
—Drew Hawkins, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unreliable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unreliable
Adjective
-
That is unlikely to happen, but Trump’s erratic policymaking and trade wars have given gold a different kind of currency.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Over the past decade or so, hourly workers across an increasing number of industries have been grappling with erratic schedules that their employers put in place using technology designed to minimize labor costs and maximize productivity.—
Huo Jingnan,
NPR,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Votes are still being counted, but heavy losses for Labour are expected to raise questions about Prime Minister Keir Starmer's already shaky leadership.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
-
And their partnership at Denver’s mast started off on shaky ground, with Paton coming off a rocky first two seasons with the Broncos.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
When that early foundation is delayed or inconsistent, the effects don’t stay confined to those first years.—
Tina Dello Russo,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
-
Why is the team suddenly playing stellar defense, after inconsistent performances all season?—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
And then there’s Kimberly’s home life, which features an emotionally and physically fragile mom preparing to give birth and an undependable alcoholic father.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Yasmin, who was ousted from Pierpoint after a tabloid scandal involving her publishing-magnate father threatened to sully the bank by association, has turned to another undependable man for salvation, proposing to an aristocratic failson called Sir Henry Muck (Kit Harington).—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In classical Athens the playwright Aristophanes attacked purveyors of knowledge for being intellectually untrustworthy, essentially deceitful.—
Clare Bucknell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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On the other hand, some types of sources such as public relations are rated as untrustworthy in general.—
Florian Wintterlin,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Known for his unpredictable, edgy behavior and fiery personality, Gritty has expanded the traditional boundaries of what a sports team mascot can be or do.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Special legislative sessions are unpredictable, and people on both sides say the Florida fight is far from over, with mistrust of the medical establishment still running high after the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Kerry Sheridan,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Following Maduro’s capture, Venezuela has entered a volatile and highly managed political transition, one shaped as much by Washington as by internal dynamics.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
-
By contrast, the Republican plan relies on one-off gimmicks and volatile funding schemes that don’t last.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
An unstable ice block delayed Mount Everest’s climbing season until late April, yet around 464 climbers and their guides remain determined despite the danger and soaring permit costs.—
Binaj Gurubacharya,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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While mixtures of two or three metals were messy and unstable, the five-metal combination paradoxically self-organized into a single, uniform product, streamlining 31 possible chemical outcomes into a single, precise nanocrystal.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unreliable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unreliable. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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