reliance

1 something or someone to which one looks for support <he's been the family's foremost reliance in times of trouble many times> Synonyms anchor, buttress, mainstay, pillar, dependence, standbyRelated Words backbone, sinew(s), spine; right hand; bolsterer, crutch, handmaiden (also handmaid), prop, stay; anchorage, harbor, refuge

2 the quality or state of needing something or someone <a baby's reliance on her parents> <his reliance on his next-door neighbor for all the local gossip> Synonyms dependency, dependenceRelated Words reciprocity, relativity; confidence, credence, faith, stock, trustNear Antonyms autonomy, self-determination, sovereignty (also sovranty)Antonyms independence, independency, self-dependence, self-reliance, self-sufficiency, self-support