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Synonyms

reliability

American  
[ri-lahy-uh-bil-i-tee] / rɪˌlaɪ əˈbɪl ɪ ti /
Sometimes reliableness

noun

  • reliabilities
    plural
  1. the ability to be relied on or depended on, as for accuracy, honesty, or achievement.


Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of reliability

reliable + -ity

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing reliability

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:

But Carney added in a separate statement that "last-minute changes in the US proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal."

From Barron's Aug. 22, 2026

Most Census Bureau reports identify the authors of the report and detail the reliability of the data they are using.

From Salon Aug. 21, 2026

To test the reliability of the results, the team compared its findings with thousands of measurements from groundwater wells as well as independent datasets.

From Science Daily Aug. 20, 2026

Employers are looking for “coachability, curiosity, reliability and comfort asking for clarification.”

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 19, 2026

Her love came in the form of reliability.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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 Arthur J. Hoskin

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