UNRELIABLE Meaning and
Definition
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Unreliable is an adjective that describes something or someone lacking in trustworthiness, consistency, or dependability. It refers to the inability to be relied upon or counted on to meet expectations, perform duties, or deliver promised results. An unreliable person or thing is often capricious, inconsistent, or fails to fulfill obligations and responsibilities.
When applied to people, it implies that they may not keep their word, follow through on commitments, or be consistent in their actions, making them difficult to depend on. Unreliable individuals often demonstrate a lack of reliability through their inconsistent behavior, frequent cancellations or flakiness, or by failing to complete tasks as expected.
Regarding objects or systems, unreliability signifies a lack of consistency and an increased likelihood of malfunctioning or failing to function altogether. An unreliable car may have frequent breakdowns, while an unreliable clock may lose or gain time unpredictably.
In general, unreliability can introduce uncertainty, frustration, and risk, as it undermines confidence and trust. It is the antithesis of reliability, which connotes consistency, dependability, and trustworthiness. Identifying something or someone as unreliable is essential for making informed decisions and managing expectations, as it helps to mitigate potential negative consequences or disappointment.
Top Common Misspellings for UNRELIABLE *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for UNRELIABLE
Etymology of UNRELIABLE
The word "unreliable" is derived from two morphemes: "un-" and "reliable".
1. "Un-" is a prefix in English that is used to give a negative or opposite meaning to the word it is attached to. It is derived from the Old English prefix "un-" or "on-" which also meant "not" or "opposite of".
2. "Reliable" comes from the Old French word "reliable" which meant "trustworthy". In turn, it originated from the Latin word "reliabilis", which also meant "able to be relied on" or "worthy of trust". The Latin term is derived from the verb "reliare" meaning "to fasten" or "to bind".
Similar spelling words for UNRELIABLE
- unrelenting,
- unrealizable,
- unreleased,
- unrelieved,
- unrelaxed,
- unreeling,
- unreliability,
- UNRELBL,
- unreliably,
- unrelentingly,
- unreeel,
- unrelated.
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