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

The rise of cloud computing in the 2010s forced Cisco to decrease its reliance on hardware networking equipment. —Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026

The village is also working on steps to reduce its reliance on other jurisdictions. —Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026

The actions of activists in Minneapolis and other US cities mirror those deployed in protest movements around the world, dating back to the Arab Spring’s use of Twitter and Facebook to Hong Kong’s anti-government protests’ reliance on Telegram. —Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 30 Jan. 2026

But experts say that autonomy also deepens reliance on orbital systems that must operate safely in an increasingly crowded and contested environment. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 30 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing reliance

• self-reliance

Rhymes for reliance

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

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