You are not logged in. [Log In] Wordsmith.org Forums Q&A about words Reliable vs. Dependable Register Forums Calendar Active Threads Search Forum Help

Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 #190417 - 04/13/10 09:22 AM Reliable vs. Dependable   Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 5 tcolling stranger tcolling   stranger Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 5 Reliable vs. Dependable... is there any difference? #190418 - 04/13/10 11:20 AM Re: Reliable vs. Dependable [Re: tcolling]   Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 I think you'll find that while many people may agree that there is a difference, you'll find few agree on what that difference is. #190420 - 04/13/10 12:27 PM Re: Reliable vs. Dependable [Re: Faldage]   Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Buffalo Shrdlu   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Vermont the distinction that I (usually) make is that reliable is more about machinery and dependable is more about people. but I often use reliable for people, too, but I don't often say machinery is dependable, though it could be, of course. formerly known as etaoin... #190424 - 04/13/10 05:36 PM Re: Reliable vs. Dependable [Re: Buffalo Shrdlu]   Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 876 twosleepy old hand twosleepy   old hand Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 876 western NY I see them as synonyms, just like rely and depend. The etymology is not similar, but to me they are equal. I would use either one for people, machinery, weather or whatever. I have a dependable vehicle and a reliable husband (usually...). Since they are the same to me, I can't say what the difference would be. #190624 - 04/20/10 02:09 AM Re: Reliable vs. Dependable [Re: tcolling]   Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Jackie Jackie   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky To me, reliable is slightly "higher". That is, I would rather have a friend or a car that is reliable than dependable; I think reliable is a degree or two closer to certainty. #199608 - 05/03/11 10:20 PM Re: Reliable vs. Dependable [Re: Jackie]   Joined: May 2011 Posts: 1 Miranda stranger Miranda   stranger Joined: May 2011 Posts: 1 @Jackie, I agree with you. Out of curiosity I searched for these words and found two things. This cool Wordsmith site, and that someone other than me feels there is a difference in these two words. I couldn't have explained them better, but I too feel that reliable is a step closer to certainty than dependable. #199609 - 05/03/11 11:35 PM Re: Reliable vs. Dependable [Re: Miranda]   Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 8,999 LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel LukeJavan8   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 8,999 Land of the Flat Water WELCOME TO THE 'COOL' SITE, MIRANDA ----please, draw me a sheep---- #199613 - 05/04/11 02:22 AM Re: Reliable vs. Dependable [Re: Miranda]   Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Jackie Jackie   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Why, thank you, Miranda. Welcome aBoard, and I hope you stick around a while! #199617 - 05/04/11 01:03 PM Re: Reliable vs. Dependable [Re: tcolling]   Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,706 Candy Pooh-Bah Candy   Pooh-Bah Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,706 down under Originally Posted By: tcolling Reliable vs. Dependable... is there any difference? They are spelt differently #199620 - 05/04/11 02:43 PM Re: Reliable vs. Dependable [Re: Candy]   Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 8,999 LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel LukeJavan8   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 8,999 Land of the Flat Water To me reliable means that they may not be in some cases, dependable means 'you can count on it'. Perhaps just six of one and half-dozen of another. ----please, draw me a sheep---- Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------   Information and announcements   Q&A about words   Wordplay and fun   Words and languages in schools   Miscellany   Weekly Themes   Looking for (writers, speakers, ...) (Old) Weekly themes. (have been consolidated into a single forum above) ------   Words from medicine   Beheading words   Meta-words   Words from classical mythology   Animal Safari   Words with unusual etymologies   Eponyms or words derived from people's names.   Loanwords from German   English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,879 Posts223,983 Members9,024 Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011 Newest Members TFED1, mark18, PureTech, Dilys, Abishek 9024 Registered Users Who's Online Now 0 registered members (), 61 guests, and 1 spider. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 48 LukeJavan8 25 Tromboniator 1 Dilys 1 mark18 1 Top Posters(All Time) wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 tsuwm 10,538 LukeJavan8 8,999 wofahulicodoc 7,536 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

Default Style BlackNTan Drab eBay GooG v2 infopop new dark new light original dark original stock rounded corners Slate snow sunny dropshadow theblues Touch Of Grey UBB.threads UBB.threads - Dark UBB.threads - Light UBBCentral UBBCentral - Crimson UBBCentral - Lime UBBCentral - Marshmallow UBBCentral - Mocha UBBCentral - Zen ubbthreads ubbthreads-dark show/hide columns on this page Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Wordsmith.org · Top