reliability
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of reliability
Explanation
It's nice when someone compliments your reliability because it means they think you are dependable. Things that are known for reliability? Your best friend, sunrise, sunset and unfortunately also taxes. The word is a new one and didn't become common until after 1850 during the Industrial Revolution. Before things were mass produced, how reliable they were was not such an issue. Interesting fact: reliability is an American word, and the Brits scoffed at its new usage.
Vocabulary lists containing reliability
Monster
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Mechanical Engineering
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Structural Engineering
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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.
See Examples For:
Yamaha’s biggest engine is 450 hp, though Ben Speciale, president of Yamaha’s U.S. marine business, said the company focuses on reliability over raw power.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Analysts have also raised doubts over the reliability and accuracy of Iran's missile arsenal, which the US says has been severely degraded by its strikes.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
"How many nines of reliability do you need to scale?"
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Utilities can, and should, plan for these resources as integrated community power networks that improve reliability while helping avoid or defer costly infrastructure investments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
That raised doubts about the reliability of the autopsy.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
Pyongyang has released footage of undersea missile launches, but the projectiles’ reliabilities and capabilities are unknown.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 8, 2023
But there is a great difference in the reliabilities of reports made by trained and by untrained men.
From The Business of Mining A brief non-technical exposition of the principles involved in the profitable operation of mines by Hoskin, Arthur J.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
