somewhat reliable

USAGE SUMMARY

"somewhat reliable" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that has some reliability but isn't entirely dependable. For example, "The old truck was somewhat reliable, but it often broke down."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Since the factors that can affect the ultimate result can be excluded from the measured result, the experimental obtained VBO value is somewhat reliable.

Nanoscale Research Letters

The Napa Valley Wine Auction, an annual event to raise money for area charities, has been a somewhat reliable leading indicator of economic health.

Forbes

Thus, the Court currently has a somewhat reliable 5-4 conservative majority.

Huffington Post

The Court also has four somewhat reliable liberals in Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan.

Huffington Post

While a generalization, there's a somewhat reliable correlation between income and stress levels on the job.

HuffPost

So, instead, I excelled at my job until the manager noticed I was somewhat reliable and promoted me to bartender.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

The somewhat mercurial Appelbaum, who's likely to be reelected Mayor by his colleagues when the Council is seated Nov. 17, should prove a reasonably reliable fifth vote.

Huffington Post

The bottle washer, dating back to 1972, proved somewhat more reliable.

The Guardian

Progestin-only preparations are somewhat less reliable than the combination preparations but produce fewer side effects.

Encyclopedia Britannica

By comparing what people report on questionnaires with interviews about their dietary intake over the previous 24 hours, thought to be somewhat more reliable.

The New York Times - Magazine

For consumers with access to D.S.L. or cable-modem service, broadband experts generally suggest that those two options are somewhat more reliable than fixed wireless at this point.

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "somewhat reliable", clarify the specific context in which the subject is dependable to avoid ambiguity. For example, 'The data is somewhat reliable for broad trends, but not for precise measurements'.

Common error

Avoid presenting something as "somewhat reliable" when evidence suggests it's highly unreliable. Be transparent about limitations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "somewhat reliable" functions as a pre-modifying adjective phrase. It modifies a noun, indicating that the noun possesses a certain degree of reliability, as showcased in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "somewhat reliable" is a valid and usable phrase in English, according to Ludwig AI. It functions as an adjective phrase to express a qualified assessment of dependability, suggesting a moderate level of trust or consistency. While not extremely common, its usage spans across news, scientific, and general contexts. When using this phrase, it's best to provide specific context to avoid ambiguity. Ludwig's examples showcase the phrase's versatility and neutral register.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

moderately dependable

Replaces 'reliable' with 'dependable' and 'somewhat' with 'moderately', suggesting a similar level of partial reliance.

partially trustworthy

Substitutes 'reliable' with 'trustworthy', implying a qualified level of confidence.

reasonably stable

Replaces 'reliable' with 'stable', focusing on consistency rather than dependability.

fairly consistent

Highlights consistency as an aspect of reliability, using 'fairly' to indicate a moderate degree.

kind of secure

Emphasizes the aspect of security associated with reliability, using 'kind of' for qualification.

relatively sound

Indicates a qualified judgment of solidity and dependability.

somewhat predictable

Focuses on the predictability aspect of reliability, maintaining the 'somewhat' qualifier.

moderately convincing

Shifts the focus to the believability aspect, with 'moderately' as a similar qualifier.

partially accurate

Highlights the accuracy aspect of reliability, indicating that it is not entirely precise.

decently dependable

Uses 'decently' as a qualifier, indicating a satisfactory level of dependability, but not exceptional.

FAQs

How can I use "somewhat reliable" in a sentence?

You can use "somewhat reliable" to describe something that is dependable to a certain extent but not completely. For example, "The witness's testimony was "somewhat reliable", but there were inconsistencies in their account."

What are some alternatives to "somewhat reliable"?

Alternatives include "moderately dependable", "partially trustworthy", or "reasonably stable", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "somewhat reliable" or "very reliable"?

The choice depends on the actual degree of reliability. "Very reliable" implies a high level of dependability, while "somewhat reliable" suggests a more limited or qualified level of trust.

What's the difference between "somewhat reliable" and "unreliable"?

"Somewhat reliable" means there's some degree of dependability, while "unreliable" indicates a lack of dependability. "Somewhat reliable" suggests caution is needed, but "unreliable" suggests the information or source should not be trusted.