unreliable

adjective

un·​re·​li·​able ˌən-ri-ˈlī-ə-bəl How to pronounce unreliable (audio)
: 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.
Having an unreliable kicking unit is an odd spot for the Broncos. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 17 Sep. 2025 The presiding judge said the evidence was insufficient for a conviction, that the court heard from unreliable witnesses and that some had been influenced by media reports on the defendant. Peter Wilkinson, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025 Water was scarce, electricity was unreliable and the thin tent walls did little to insulate against the brutal heat of the summer and cold of the winter. Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 While YouTube and Instagram can potentially analyze faces, posting patterns, and social networks to determine age, ChatGPT must rely solely on conversational text, which can be an unreliable signal of user age. ArsTechnica, 16 Sep. 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 19 Sep. 2025.

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