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
The president and his advisers have repeatedly criticized offshore wind as intermittent, unreliable and unsightly.
—
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
So, take your cues from flight attendants this season and snag the Nesugar G2 Travel Garment Steamer to quickly smooth your clothes without depending on the unreliable hotel iron.
—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
16 June 2026
Such a system can be especially helpful indoors, in city environments where GPS and other global navigation satellite systems’ signals are unreliable, or in regions where there is active GPS jamming.
—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
This saves you the trouble of relying on potentially unreliable mobile networks to reach your destination.
—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unreliable
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
So, take your cues from flight attendants this season and snag the Nesugar G2 Travel Garment Steamer to quickly smooth your clothes without depending on the unreliable hotel iron.
—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
16 June 2026
Such a system can be especially helpful indoors, in city environments where GPS and other global navigation satellite systems’ signals are unreliable, or in regions where there is active GPS jamming.
—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
This saves you the trouble of relying on potentially unreliable mobile networks to reach your destination.
—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unreliable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unreliable
Adjective
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Weather officials say erratic winds have been sending smoke to different parts of the region this weekend.
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That, of course, was shown at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where the Jabulani grabbed headlines for its erratic and unpredictable movement — so much so that there’s a Wikipedia page dedicated to its criticisms.
Adjective
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But all that construction could be off to a shaky start, suggests Nerma Caluk, an engineer and lunar specialist for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, an architecture and structural engineering firm in San Francisco, California.
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After a shaky first quarter that gave way to a nine-point advantage for the Wings, the Valkyries woke up thanks to a huge spark off the bench from Kaitlyn Chen.
Adjective
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Marte, who spent two seasons with the Phillies as an inconsistent but frequently used bullpen arm during their recent playoff runs, will join the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate.
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On Thursday, prosecutors dropped the charges against Edwards, Amir Fagan, and Chashonn Toney saying this video is indeed inconsistent with facts in the indictment.
Adjective
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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.
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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).
Adjective
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The local gendarmerie, led by blandly untrustworthy Inspector Marchal (Bertrand Belin) is called in to investigate.
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There is evidence that this tendency, known as the endowment effect, was favored by natural selection when bargains were risky in a pre-modern world, a time when giving over one item, in trade for another, might risk getting nothing at all from an untrustworthy trading partner.
Adjective
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This unpredictable chaos, fueled by technological glitches and administrative issues, is worsening as peak summer travel begins.
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However, construction zones are inherently unpredictable.
Adjective
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Aerion Targaryen Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett), also known as Aerion Brightflame, is a volatile and cruel Targaryen prince infamous for his arrogance and violent behavior.
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Even excluding volatile food and energy prices, core PCE is expected to increase from April, according to economists polled by FactSet.
Adjective
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If these fixes apply after the system has already verified the human and if that identity foundation is shallow, even strong transaction records rest on unstable ground.
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Engineers always knew the cliffs were unstable Last Chance Grade was first built as a wagon trail through the dense redwood forest in 1894.
Cite this Entry
“Unreliable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unreliable. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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