reliance

noun

re·​li·​ance ri-ˈlī-ən(t)s 

1

: the act of relying : the state of being reliant

2

: something or someone relied on

Synonyms of reliance

• anchor
• backbone
• dependence
• pillar

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

Under Xi, Beijing ramped up a nascent push to both increase green energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, unleashing more government backing for renewable energy and EVs. —Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026

The move reflects a broader shift in modern warfare toward long-range precision strikes while reducing reliance on fighter jets flying into contested airspace. —Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026

Fairlead Strategies, its officers, employees, affiliates and partners shall not be liable to any person in any way whatsoever for any losses, costs, or claims for your reliance on this material. —Katie Stockton, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026

In a bid to reduce economic reliance on the US, Carney announced a September investment summit aimed at attracting $730 billion in investment in Canada. —J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 19 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing reliance

• self-reliance

Rhymes for reliance

• science
• appliance
• compliance
• defiance
• geoscience
• neuroscience
• noncompliance
• pseudoscience

Kids Definition

reliance

noun

re·​li·​ance ri-ˈlī-ən(t)s 

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 

1

: the act of relying

reliance on a promise

2

: reliance interest at interest 1