unreliable

[uhn-ri-lahy-uh-buhl] / ˌʌn rɪˈlaɪ ə bəl /

ADJECTIVE

not trustworthy, not true

Synonyms

STRONGEST

capricious deceptive dubious false fickle inaccurate irresponsible treacherous tricky uncertain unsound unstable untrustworthy

STRONG

undependable

WEAK

deceitful delusive disreputable erroneous fake fallible fly-by-night furtive hallucinatory hollow implausible inconstant makeshift meretricious mistaken pretended pseudo questionable sham shifty specious unconvincing underhand underhanded unfaithful unsure untrue vacillating wavering weak

Antonyms

STRONGEST

accurate certain clear constant correct definite dependable faithful forthright frank honest reliable right stable steady strong sure true trustworthy truthful

WEAK

responsible

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Polling in mayoral races is typically pretty unreliable.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

But many were branded unreliable, faced barriers to work and advancement, and lived under a lasting cloud of suspicion.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Based solely upon a single 1994 interview claiming a precise 50-year memory, such a tale can mislead writers who fail to appreciate how unreliable human memory can be.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

His second day of testimony in federal court in Oakland, California grew testy at times, as OpenAI's lawyers sought to portray the Tesla tycoon as an unreliable narrator of the company's history.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

So information about who earns what and where has to travel by word of mouth, and for inexplicable cultural reasons, this is a very slow and unreliable route.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Vocabulary lists containing unreliable

STAAR English I: Elements of Literature

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STAAR English II: Elements of Literature 1

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Point of View

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