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 Ranger nameplate isn't particularly unreliable, though drivers with an impacted Ranger model should bring it in for inspection and repair as soon as possible to avoid any mishaps or issues.
—
Saleen Martin, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
And now the model those dollars were built on is becoming unreliable.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
The country has not published GDP data since 2024, and the widespread internet blackout has made domestic statistics (widely seen as unreliable) inaccessible outside the country.
—Anniek Bao,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Currently, the tribe relies primarily on unreliable groundwater to supply water to homes, community facilities and tribal operations, officials said.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unreliable
Saleen Martin, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
And now the model those dollars were built on is becoming unreliable.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
The country has not published GDP data since 2024, and the widespread internet blackout has made domestic statistics (widely seen as unreliable) inaccessible outside the country.
—Anniek Bao,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Currently, the tribe relies primarily on unreliable groundwater to supply water to homes, community facilities and tribal operations, officials said.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unreliable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unreliable
Adjective
-
While playing his first full season as a starter last year, Manning looked like an erratic youngster for the first half of 2025, before eventually settling in and playing much better ball down the stretch.—
Nick Baumgardner,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Trump’s erratic tariffs, his contempt for NATO, and uneven support for Ukraine’s defense against a Russian invasion have left him fairly alone.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Caitlin Clark had a shaky return to WNBA action on Saturday after her season-ending injury last year.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Two weeks into the shaky, uncertain ceasefire, a form of normality has returned to the streets of Tehran.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
After two inconsistent seasons, Johnson became a consensus first-team All-American last year, rushing for 1,537 yards and a school-record 22 touchdowns.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Melissa Horner’s inconsistent presence in the home seemed to upset her son’s routines.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Apr. 2026
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
Adjective
-
In classical Athens the playwright Aristophanes attacked purveyors of knowledge for being intellectually untrustworthy, essentially deceitful.—
Clare Bucknell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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On the other hand, some types of sources such as public relations are rated as untrustworthy in general.—
Florian Wintterlin,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Known for his unpredictable, edgy behavior and fiery personality, Gritty has expanded the traditional boundaries of what a sports team mascot can be or do.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Special legislative sessions are unpredictable, and people on both sides say the Florida fight is far from over, with mistrust of the medical establishment still running high after the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Kerry Sheridan,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Demand rises, infrastructure costs increase, and households remain exposed to volatile energy prices.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
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Traders on the prediction market site Polymarket were giving Musk 32% odds of success as of Friday, after weeks of volatile price swings.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals, unstable molecules that cause cell damage.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
1 May 2026
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Some critics argue that the clean energy transition simply trades one dependency for another, shifting reliance from fossil fuels controlled by unstable actors to supply chains heavily concentrated in China.—
Jennifer Granholm,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unreliable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unreliable. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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