UNRELIABLE Synonyms: 70 Similar and Opposite Words

unreliable

adjective

Definition of unreliable

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 The leggings were still wet, heavily soiled, and badly deteriorated, LaHendro testified, making the edge detail too unreliable for comparison. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026 As code generation becomes more accessible, the ability to identify inaccurate or unreliable outputs may become increasingly valuable. — Felysha Walker, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026 Inadequate home wiring and unreliable electrical grids present additional challenges in many places. — Ashwini Sehgal, The Conversation, 23 July 2026 Because unreliable weather patterns can make natural snow scarce, the resort relies on artificial snow to make skiing possible all winter long. — ABC News, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unreliable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unreliable

Adjective

Winds of that strength start to present a greater risk of erratic wildfire behavior and spread.

— Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
During the first 10 minutes of the workout, its heart rate readings seemed a bit erratic but normalized afterward.

— Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of erratic

Adjective

Rockies starter Ryan Feltner (4-6) settled down after a shaky start to pitch six innings.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
Cryptocurrency firms are facing a nightmare scenario in the Senate, where the shaky state of the industry’s top priority is threatening its plans to unleash midterm campaign cash against its enemies.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of shaky

Adjective

However, backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor's inconsistent play, marked by a costly interception, raised concerns.

— Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Similar reports have emerged in Germany and Switzerland, where local media reported that secondhand booksellers received unusual bulk orders for highly specialized books that appeared inconsistent with traditional collecting or resale.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 31 July 2026

Definition of inconsistent

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

Definition of undependable

Adjective

Indeed, El Niño’s complexity limited the researchers’ simulations to two years; beyond that, the model becomes untrustworthy.

— Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 8 July 2026
The local gendarmerie, led by blandly untrustworthy Inspector Marchal (Bertrand Belin) is called in to investigate.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 June 2026

Definition of untrustworthy

Adjective

The Open Worldwide Application Security Project describes a use-after-free as when a program accesses heap memory after it’s been freed, leading to unpredictable behavior or exploits.

— Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Even while navigating a challenging economic landscape—marked by fluctuating input costs, unpredictable weather and shifting market dynamics—growers are choosing to formalize and voluntarily provide data on their sustainability practices.

— SJ Studio, Footwear News, 31 July 2026

Definition of unpredictable

Adjective

Inflation remains volatile in many countries, reflecting varied conditions in markets around the world.

— John M. Bremen, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Beyond the oil and gas industry, major banks including JPMorgan are making record profits during the ongoing war thanks to heavy trading volumes as investors rush to dump volatile assets or buy the dip.

— Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 30 July 2026

Definition of volatile

Adjective

Also screening is Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur, another feature from Cannes, following a successful company director called Gleb, who finds himself under siege from mounting corporate pressures and an increasingly unstable world.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026
Federal prosecutors said the men exploited three girls who had run away from foster care, taking advantage of their ages, unstable living situations and lack of family support.

— Eric Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of unstable

Browse Nearby Words

unreliability

unreliable

unreluctant

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Unreliable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unreliable. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of unreliable

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on unreliable

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

invidious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes