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Reliable

adj. capable, calm professional

What it means

Consistently worthy of trust to perform or report as expected.

Reach for it when praising a person, source, method, or device that can be counted on

Mei is reliable enough to hold the keys and open the center every Saturday.

Words to choose between 8

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom. Tap a word to see when it fits.
warm
professional
formal

  • warm

    dependable

    Fits when a person's steady follow-through is the main praise

    Careful For measurements or evidence, dependable is less exact than reliable.

  • warm

    trustworthy

    Fits when honesty and care with confidence are central

    Careful Someone may be trustworthy yet unable to deliver consistently because of limited capacity.

  • professional

    accurate

    Fits when closeness to the truth or correct value is what matters

    Careful A single accurate reading does not prove repeated reliability.

  • professional

    consistent

    Fits when results vary very little over time

    Careful Consistency can preserve a poor standard, while reliable implies acceptable performance.

  • professional

    punctual

    Fits when arriving or delivering on time is the precise strength

    Careful It is too narrow if the person also deserves credit for accuracy and follow-through.

  • professional

    responsible

    Fits when careful ownership of duties matters

    Careful Responsibility concerns conduct and judgment, not whether performance repeats consistently.

  • formal

    proven

    Fits when a track record has already demonstrated success

    Careful New equipment can be reliable by design before it has earned the history implied by proven.

  • formal

    sound

    Fits when evidence, construction, or reasoning is solid enough to trust

    Careful Sound is a broad judgment and may not promise repeatable results.

Opposites 3

  • unreliable
  • erratic
  • inaccurate

Common phrases 3

  • reliable colleague

    A reliable colleague, Dev returned every handover note before noon.

  • reliable source

    The reporter waited for a reliable source before naming the supplier.

  • reliable service

    Backup batteries kept the radio service reliable through the storm.

Word family 2

Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated