undependable

/'ʌndi'pendəbl/

Thân thiện

An undependable assistant forgot to bring the important documents to the meeting.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Not reliable or trustworthy: Describes a person, thing, or source of information that cannot be consistently counted on to perform correctly, be accurate, or be present when needed.
   • Prone to failure or error: Indicates something that is likely to fail, make mistakes, or provide misleading results.

Usage

• The adjective "undependable" is used to describe a lack of reliability. It is often applied to people, machines, systems, information, or methods.
• It typically precedes a noun (e.g., an undependable source) or follows a linking verb like "is," "was," or "seems" (e.g., The data seems undependable).

Examples

• Describing a person:
  • He is an undependable employee because he is often late and misses deadlines.
• Describing a thing or system:
  • The old car became increasingly undependable, breaking down frequently.
  • An undependable internet connection makes remote work very difficult.
• Describing information:
  • The witness provided an undependable account of the events.
  • That website is known for posting undependable news.

Advanced Usage

• "proved to be undependable": Emphasizes that something or someone has demonstrated unreliability through experience.
  • The new software proved to be undependable and was quickly replaced.
• "inherently undependable": Suggests that the unreliability is a fundamental, built-in characteristic.
  • The methodology was inherently undependable, leading to inconsistent results.

Variants and Related Words

• Undependability (noun): The quality of being undependable.
  • The undependability of the public transport system is a major complaint.
• Dependable (adjective): The direct antonym, meaning reliable and trustworthy.
  • She is our most dependable team member.

Synonyms

• Unreliable: The most common and direct synonym.
• Untrustworthy: Often implies a deliberate or moral failing in a person.
• Unpredictable: Suggests inconsistency, but not always a lack of trustworthiness.
• Fallible: Capable of making mistakes, but often used for people or systems known to have flaws.

Antonyms

• Dependable
• Reliable
• Trustworthy
• Steadfast

Related Phrases

• Not to be counted on: A phrase with a similar meaning to "undependable."
  • He's nice, but he's not to be counted on in a crisis.
• Let (someone) down: A phrasal verb describing the action of an undependable person.
  • I need someone who won't let me down at the last minute.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. liable to be erroneous or misleading
   • an undependable generalization
2. not worthy of reliance or trust
   • in the early 1950s computers were large and expensive and unreliable
   • an undependable assistant

Từ đồng nghĩa

• unreliable