reliable
Americanadjective
adjective
Related Words
Reliable, infallible, trustworthy apply to persons, objects, ideas, or information that can be depended upon with confident certainty. Reliable suggests consistent dependability of judgment, character, performance, or result: a reliable formula, judge, car, meteorologist. Infallible suggests the complete absence of error, breakdown, or poor performance: an infallible test, system, marksman. Trustworthy emphasizes the steady and honest dependability which encourages one's confidence, belief, or trust: trustworthy and accurate reports.
Other Word Forms
- nonreliable adjective
- nonreliableness noun
- nonreliably adverb
- quasi-reliable adjective
- quasi-reliably adverb
- reliability noun
- reliableness noun
- reliably adverb
- ultrareliable adjective
- ultrareliablely adverb
Etymology
Origin of reliable
Compare meaning
How does reliable compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
The dollar reigns in part because countries and companies consider the U.S. political system stable and appreciate having reliable places to park their extra dollars, especially U.S.
But they have worked to portray themselves as reliable partners for the American government in energy markets and critical-mineral supply chains.
King chose it not because it was the worst city in the South, but because Bull Connor was reliable.
Demonstrations have been reported in almost 200 cities spanning all 31 of Iran’s provinces, but researchers don’t have reliable access to witnesses in all of those locations.
The book convincingly presents the indigenous case for animism—that nature is fully alive at all levels, and that stones are our most ancient and reliable communicators.
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.
