unreliable
71
4.1
- adjective
- /ˌʌn.rɪˈlaɪ.ə.bəl/
:
poco fiable
- The weather forecast was unreliable, and it rained even though they predicted sunshine.
- an unreliable source
- unreliable data
- unreliable results
Yes, there are some very unreliable providers.
- Yes, there are some very unreliable providers.
- So what they're concerned about is someone being unreliable.
- So we're having the Chinese use fossil fuels to make us our unreliable energy.
- And then Eldon Rosen says, well, clearly the Voigt Kampf empathy test is unreliable because she's a human being.
- We become an unreliable narrator of the events of our love life.
- When we really want to meet someone, when we want to find someone, we become an unreliable judge in many ways.
- The thing is, though, AI is still going to be unreliable, perhaps less than humans, but it'll be unreliable in novel ways.
- It can transmit over top of this kind of background noise, but it's slow and it's unreliable.
- It may rely upon witnesses who have traded favours and for their testimony who may be unreliable.
- So my top concern with smart appliances was the fact that a lot of the reviews say they're unreliable.
- When I was a student is I had a teacher who gave me a prompt which was write something from the point of view of an unreliable narrator.
- Can you speak a little bit about what the impact of us being stuck in our unreliable stories is by us believing something is the truth?
- What is that unreliable narrator of what would be?
- You know, Yeah, certainly an unreliable narrator, I think.
Examples
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Her memory was unreliable, often leading her to remember events incorrectly.
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Servants have become as unreliable as we are.
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Yes, there are some very unreliable providers.
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Cell phone service is so unreliable.
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The result is unreliable data when it comes to measuring the effectiveness of schools.
Academic text (2011) -
Is survey methodology too crude and unreliable to capture the whole picture?
Academic text (1993) -
The availability of these chemicals, which depends on foreign exchange, is unreliable and unpredictable.
Academic text (2008) -
Wi-Fi can be unreliable when you're trying to do things on the Internet.
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Voter confusion, endless recounts, unreliable results.
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Much uncertainty about Himalayan deforestation results from unreliable information about forest product use.
Academic text (1990)
Synonyms
176
3.9
Probably not true or trustworthy
113
4.3
Not correct or exact, with mistakes
36
3.5
Not correct because it has mistakes, for example in an argument or plan
26
8.1
Not certain or reliable
21
4.8
Not honest or reliable with promises
13
8.2
Likely to be unsafe or untrustworthy
6
7.0
Tending to fail or change without warning
3
4.7
Likely to fail or disappoint people
2
8.9
Not reliable and likely to disappear quickly, often for dishonest reasons
2
5.1
Tends to make many mistakes
A situation where people do not feel safe and avoid honest conversation
Not safe to depend on because they may fail or betray you
Antonyms
How Reliable
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Unreliable is made of the parts un- meaning 'not', rely meaning 'depend on', and -able meaning 'can be'. So it literally says 'not able to be depended on', which is why it means someone or something you cannot trust.