reliability
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the quality of being able to be trusted or relied on.
the quality of being dependable, consistent, or trustworthy in character or performance.
Simple“The company is famous for the reliability of its cars, which rarely break down.”
In context“The manager questioned the reliability of the witness's testimony after several inconsistencies were discovered during the cross-examination.”
UsageUncountable in general usage.
SynonymsAntonymsunreliabilityfickleness - 02 C1 Advanced
the ability of a test or tool to give the same result every time you use it.
the degree to which an assessment tool produces stable and consistent results over repeated trials.
Simple“The researchers checked the reliability of the survey by giving it to the same group twice.”
In context“High reliability does not necessarily imply validity; a scale might consistently overstate weight by five kilograms, making it reliable but inaccurate.”
UsageOften contrasted with 'validity' in research contexts.
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
how long a machine or system works before it fails or breaks.
the probability that a system or component will perform its required function under stated conditions for a specified period.
Simple“Engineers are working to improve the reliability of the new power grid.”
In context“The aerospace industry demands extreme levels of reliability, as even a minor component failure can have catastrophic consequences during flight.”
UsageCommonly used in engineering and systems design.
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage ensure reliability · establish reliability · increase reliability
“Such systems could reduce communication and energy constraints at the lunar poles, but long-duration reliability, navigation in shadowed terrain, dust tolerance and interoperability remain unresolved.”
“Texas’ policies have prioritized gas and battery plant construction to help bolster the power grid’s reliability at times of high demand.”
From reliable + -ity.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.