tillförlitlig

Tillförlitlig is a Swedish adjective that describes something or someone that can be trusted, depended upon, or proven credible. It is commonly used for people, sources, data, devices, or systems that consistently meet expectations and have a track record of reliability. In everyday language it is close in meaning to pålitlig, but with a stronger emphasis on credibility and proven performance over time.

In usage, tillförlitlig is often applied to a source or information, as in en tillförlitlig källa or tillförlitlig data. It is also used for people, for example en tillförlitlig vän or en tillförlitlig medarbetare. The term is widely used in journalism, research, and information technology to signal that something can be trusted and relied upon. In English it translates to reliable, trustworthy, or credible, depending on the context.

Etymology and nuance: tillförlitlig is a compound formed from the idea of trust and reliability, typically understood as trust directed toward something or someone. It is related to the adjective förlitlig (reliable), but the prefixed form til- adds a nuance of credibility that is grounded in evidence, consistency, or proven performance. While the two terms are often used interchangeably, tillförlitlig can convey a slightly stronger sense of trustworthiness in verifiable behavior, whereas pålitlig is the more general synonym for reliability.