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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of unreliable
Such thematic complications present themselves, though in a confounding order, with unreliable consistency.
—
Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
The latter approach, often based on mass scraping of the internet, is already producing American chatbots with false and unreliable results, including the parroting of Chinese Communist Party propaganda in response to consumer queries.
—Ruth Vitale, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025
Aiding Ukraine has already begun to be a controversial subject in Poland; the prospect of Russian attacks in retaliation could drive up opposition, especially if the United States proves unreliable.
—Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2025
The Denver Post does not report off of police radio traffic, which can be unreliable.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unreliable
Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
The latter approach, often based on mass scraping of the internet, is already producing American chatbots with false and unreliable results, including the parroting of Chinese Communist Party propaganda in response to consumer queries.
—Ruth Vitale, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025
Aiding Ukraine has already begun to be a controversial subject in Poland; the prospect of Russian attacks in retaliation could drive up opposition, especially if the United States proves unreliable.
—Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2025
The Denver Post does not report off of police radio traffic, which can be unreliable.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unreliable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unreliable
Adjective
-
Simmons attributed the early struggles to some erratic snaps by center Julius Pierce along with FIU’s inability to execute double-team blocks.—
Alex Krutchik,
Miami Herald,
14 Sep. 2025
-
That same year, the actor was fired from the sitcom following a series of erratic public outbursts and reported clashes with showrunner Chuck Lorre.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier have been shaky over the last two months.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The riders who stagger off of Stardust Racers have wide, shaky smiles.—
Bianca Bosker,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Oliver Glasner cannot be accused of giving out inconsistent messages.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Fairlead Strategies or its affiliates may have positions in financial instruments mentioned, may have acquired such positions at prices no longer available, and may have interests different from or adverse to your interests or inconsistent with the advice herein.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But while the stock market is often a fickle friend, as are commodities such as oil and natural gas, wheat and corn, part of what was so shocking in 2022 was the simultaneous slump in government and corporate bonds, which proved as undependable as stocks.—
,
CNBC,
18 Feb. 2025
-
Food, water and other resources would have to be shipped from home, at distances that make the supply frighteningly undependable.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
Women are greedy, untrustworthy, weak and inferior, these influencers say.—
Will Carless,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Trump is pressuring Powell to cut interest rates in hopes of lowering borrowing costs, and his allies have highlighted cost overruns to suggest that Powell is untrustworthy or should be removed from his position.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Charleston’s unpredictable climate means summer can stretch well into October, then randomly resurface in January.—
Jenn Rice,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
With recent polls showing Mamdani leading his rivals by double digits, the intersection of Hochul’s pragmatism, Mamdani’s outreach, and the powerful symbolism of their evolving relationship promises a uniquely unpredictable contest for New York’s future.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Yet last week’s warning from Jet2, a business respected for its cost control and excellent customer service, has served as a reminder that, for all the impressive growth of recent years, this remains a volatile and sometimes unpredictable sector.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
-
While any single month can be volatile and revisions can further change our understanding, hiring ground to a halt in May and June in the uncertain aftermath of the Liberation Day tariff announcements.—
Jeffrey Schulze,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Interest generally petered off after Boelter’s unstable condition came to light, as his murders appeared to lack a partisan motivation.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Chen has participated in both the supplier and wholesale sides of the alcoholic beverage three-tier system during his career and has witnessed the data discrepancy pain points under unstable policy change and nuanced market data in both segments.—
Nish Acharya,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unreliable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unreliable. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share