as in to depend
to place reliance or trust
rigorously tested the rope before starting out, for the rock climbers would be relying on it with their very lives
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rely
Miami likely will rely on a lot of three-receiver sets, with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Malik Washington taking snaps that might have otherwise gone to a tight end.
—
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025
Gelato is very similar to ice cream, but only relies on milk instead of heavy cream for a slightly lighter, icier texture than traditional homemade ice cream.
—Erin Hooker, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2025
Israel, meanwhile, relies on both subterfuge and robust regular ground and air forces that are apparently unmatched in the region.
—Christopher Bodeen, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025
The regime relies on repression—crackdowns, imprisonment, torture, executions—to maintain control of a stifled and restive population.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rely
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025
Gelato is very similar to ice cream, but only relies on milk instead of heavy cream for a slightly lighter, icier texture than traditional homemade ice cream.
—Erin Hooker, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2025
Israel, meanwhile, relies on both subterfuge and robust regular ground and air forces that are apparently unmatched in the region.
—Christopher Bodeen, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025
The regime relies on repression—crackdowns, imprisonment, torture, executions—to maintain control of a stifled and restive population.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rely
Verb
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Much depends on the role of Manuela Giugliano, likely to play as a deep midfielder rather than the No 10 position she is often deployed in at Roma.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
30 June 2025
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The tariffs generally range from 7.5% to 25%, depending on the item.—
Ethan Karp,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Best known for their gaming broadcasts and challenges, the cohort are among Twitch’s most prominent content groups and collectively counts tens of millions of followers across members’ respective channels.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
5 July 2025
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Senate Republicans argue that because the bill extends current tax law, those cuts shouldn't be counted.—
Jim Sergent,
USA Today,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rely. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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