reliable

1 of 2

adjective

re·​li·​able ri-ˈlī-ə-bəl How to pronounce reliable (audio)
Synonyms of reliable
1
: suitable or fit to be relied on : dependable
2
: giving the same result on successive trials
reliableness noun
reliably
ri-ˈlī-ə-blē How to pronounce reliable (audio)
adverb

reliable

2 of 2

noun

: one that is reliable

Synonyms of reliable

Relevance

Adjective

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Examples of reliable in a Sentence

Adjective He's not very reliable. You can't always count on him to do what he says he'll do. We can't write a report without reliable data. We need more reliable information before we can take action.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Battery manufacturers are under pressure to secure reliable supplies of critical materials while reducing exposure to overseas supply chains. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026 Nevertheless, online daters use LinkedIn as a vetting tool, with almost half of Zety’s survey respondents believing that information posted to the platform is more reliable than jobs and college attendance shown on dating apps such as Hinge. — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
Then there are the old reliables that haven’t necessarily been nominated in recent years but are always in the conversation such as Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Real Time with Bill Maher and Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. — Peter White, Deadline, 11 June 2026 With 50 seconds remaining in the Warriors’ play-in game against the host Clippers at Intuit Dome, Golden State’s two aging Hall of Famers went back to old reliable. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reliable

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1569, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1852, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reliable was in 1569

Rhymes for reliable

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Browse Nearby Words

reliability coefficient
reliable
reliableness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reliable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reliable. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

reliable

adjective
re·​li·​able
ri-ˈlī-ə-bəl
: fit to be trusted : dependable
reliableness noun
reliably
-blē
adverb

Medical Definition

reliable

adjective
re·​li·​able ri-ˈlī-ə-bəl How to pronounce reliable (audio)
: giving the same result on successive trials
a reliable psychological test
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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