reliance

noun

re·​li·​ance ri-ˈlī-ən(t)s How to pronounce reliance (audio)
Synonyms of reliancenext
1
: the act of relying : the state of being reliant
2
: something or someone relied on

Synonyms of reliance

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Examples of reliance in a Sentence

he's been the family's foremost reliance in times of trouble many times a baby's reliance on her parents
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Iran war has turbocharged these trends as countries seek to reduce their reliance on oil and gas from the Gulf. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 30 June 2026 Conversely, some reviews criticize its lack of energy compared to previous films and its reliance on flashbacks. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Google itself is racing to secure more capacity, while Meta is actively trying to reduce reliance on outside models by building up its own systems. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 30 June 2026 Some critics suggest that any consistency in NDS designs could be an artifact of the group’s reliance on AI. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for reliance

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reliance was in 1606

Phrases Containing reliance

Rhymes for reliance

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Browse Nearby Words

reliably
reliance
reliant
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Cite this Entry

“Reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reliance. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

reliance

noun
re·​li·​ance ri-ˈlī-ən(t)s How to pronounce reliance (audio)
1
: the act of relying
2
: the condition or attitude of one who relies : dependence
3
: something or someone relied on

Legal Definition

reliance

noun
re·​li·​ance ri-ˈlī-əns How to pronounce reliance (audio)
1
: the act of relying
reliance on a promise
2
: reliance interest at interest 1

More from Merriam-Webster on reliance

Nglish: Translation of reliance for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reliance

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