reliability
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
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.
Rail bosses hope the £23m electrification upgrade project can ultimately improve train reliability and reduce the number of power failures and maintenance closures inside the Severn Tunnel .
From BBC • May 22, 2026
“This means quantum has now got to the point that, for it to have the reliability for it to scale, we need to create a third-party foundry,” he said.
From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026
Regulators are focused on consumer costs and grid reliability amid increased demand from AI data centers.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Newsom has proposed boosting the program for just this year with $27 million in unspent funds from another energy reliability program.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026
Fact: Grapes don’t always explode with scientific reliability.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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.
