reliance

noun

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

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 Xi Jinping’s administration has designated research into cutting-edge fields like AI a priority for coming years, vowing to mobilize an entire nation to try and reduce a reliance on Western technology. Jane Zhang, Fortune Asia, 5 Mar. 2024 Also, though the bags are reusable for up to 20 times, those trying to reduce their reliance on disposable plastic won’t love this option. Samson McDougall, Parents, 5 Mar. 2024 These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2024 Deployments and on-site or near-site power storage can provide efficient, cost-effective reliability against spikes or outages while reducing reliance on the power grid used by every resident, business and organization on the grid. Phillip Marangella, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The heavy Ukrainian reliance on the United States for weapons has underscored Europe’s ongoing dependence on Washington as the 75th anniversary of NATO approaches this year. Roger Cohen, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Meta’s reliance on algorithms is evidence of that because technology has not developed to a point where algorithms are foolproof, Skeet says. Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2024 Citing Lucid's reliance on funding from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and suggesting a potential bankruptcy for Rivian within six quarters, Musk pointed out the challenges of achieving volume production with positive cash flow in the EV sector. Detroit Free Press, 24 Feb. 2024 The war in Ukraine and the widespread and growing reliance on nuclear weapons increase the risk of nuclear escalation. William Hartung, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reliance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reliance was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near reliance

Cite this Entry

“Reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reliance. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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

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