relied; relying
1
: to be dependent
the system on which we rely for water
2
: to have confidence based on experience
someone you can rely on
Examples of rely in a Sentence
rigorously tested the rope before starting out, for the rock climbers would be relying on it with their very lives
Recent Examples on the Web
Beyond core transportation infrastructure, some states also rely on revenues from fuel taxes to fund education, environmental initiatives and other public programs.
—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
There are more than 60,000 food delivery workers active in New York City, who often rely on scooters to make deliveries across the five boroughs.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Communications, though, is something NASA needs to nail down as Orion had been outfitted to use NASA’s Deep Space Network, but will instead need to rely on an alternative for low-Earth orbit operations.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
Xi’s expected to be a commanding presence as host, opposite a US president known more for relying on gut instinct than meticulous preparation.
—Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rely
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Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
There are more than 60,000 food delivery workers active in New York City, who often rely on scooters to make deliveries across the five boroughs.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Communications, though, is something NASA needs to nail down as Orion had been outfitted to use NASA’s Deep Space Network, but will instead need to rely on an alternative for low-Earth orbit operations.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
Xi’s expected to be a commanding presence as host, opposite a US president known more for relying on gut instinct than meticulous preparation.
—Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rely
Cite this Entry
“Rely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rely. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rely
verb
re·ly
ri-ˈlī 
relied; relying
1
: to have confidence based on experience
someone you can rely on
2
: to be dependent
the system on which we rely for water
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