rely on/upon
phrasal verb
relied on/upon; relying on/upon; relies on/upon
1
: to need (someone or something) for support, help, etc. : to depend on (someone or something)
My mother relied on me for financial support.
They rely on a well for all their water.
2
: to trust or believe (someone or something)
She's someone you can rely on.
I relied heavily upon your advice.
You could always rely on him to disagree.
3
: to expect (something) with confidence : to be certain that (something) will happen or exist
The economy may improve next year, but it's not something you can rely on.
Examples of rely on/upon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead, rely on older, sturdier trees that can support the additional weight.
—
Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2024
Privacy may prove to be a big selling point for personal assistants if the technology learns the intimate details of the users who come to rely on them.
—Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 June 2024
That would likely force the city to call on the state Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation, or DCI — which most other Wisconsin police agencies rely on to investigate critical incidents.
—Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2024
These were wines of beguiling expression that did not rely on sheer power and extract for attention.
—David Rosoff, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for rely on/upon 
Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2024
Privacy may prove to be a big selling point for personal assistants if the technology learns the intimate details of the users who come to rely on them.
—Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 June 2024
That would likely force the city to call on the state Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation, or DCI — which most other Wisconsin police agencies rely on to investigate critical incidents.
—Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2024
These were wines of beguiling expression that did not rely on sheer power and extract for attention.
—David Rosoff, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for rely on/upon
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rely on/upon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near rely on/upon
Cite this Entry
“Rely on/upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rely%20on%2Fupon. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.
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