unreliable
This word can describe both people and things. When used for a person, it usually means they do not keep their promises or cannot be trusted to finish a task. When used for an object (like a car or a computer) or information (like a news report), it means the item often fails or the facts are not accurate.
💬Casual Conversation
🎬Tuesday afternoon, Ryan is at home while Leo is in the school library.
Leo
Stop using that controller. It's totally unreliable and keeps dropping inputs.
Ryan
Bet. I thought I was just throwing the game.
💡
Leo is warning Ryan about a faulty gaming controller (hardware inconsistency). Ryan uses 'bet' as modern slang for 'alright' or 'I agree', and 'throwing' as gaming slang meaning to lose a game intentionally or through poor play.
Meanings
adjective
Not able to be relied upon; not trustworthy or dependable.
"The old car is completely unreliable and often breaks down during long trips."
adjective
Inconsistent in quality, accuracy, or performance.
"The witness provided an unreliable account of the events, contradicting himself several times."