unreliability

/ˌʌnrɪˌlaɪəˈbɪləti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌnrɪˌlaɪəˈbɪləti/ (ame, ipa) · /¦ən+/ (ame, mw)

1.名詞C1

釋義

a condition or characteristic in which a person, machine, or piece of information proves undependable over time, making it unsafe to rely on them

例句

The editor was frustrated by Jude's unreliability — he had missed three deadlines that month.

Anjali warned the team not to trust the weather model due to its unreliability.

unreliability of [data/machine] — for things that fail to work properly

同義詞

undependability
more common in everyday speech; slightly less formal
untrustworthiness
focuses on dishonesty rather than failure to perform
unpredictability
emphasises that behaviour cannot be forecast, not necessarily that it is bad

反義詞

reliability
the direct opposite — the quality of being trustworthy and dependable
dependability
focuses on consistency and being able to count on someone or something
trustworthiness
emphasises honesty and integrity

unreliability + of + noun phrase

Frequently followed by 'of' to specify the person, thing, or system that cannot be relied on: the unreliability of someone/something.

❌His unreliability was proven when he lied about his qualifications.

✅His untrustworthiness was proven when he lied about his qualifications.

💡'Unreliability' suggests failing to show up, finish work, or perform as expected; 'untrustworthiness' suggests dishonesty or deceit.

unreliability — noun