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

Latin American exports boomed last year despite US tariffs, with many nations increasing their reliance on China as their biggest goods market. —Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Lam’s reliance on state security creates other tensions. —Aniruddha Ghosal, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026

Meanwhile, central banks around the globe including China continue to build up their gold reserves, easing their reliance on US assets. —John Towfighi, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026

The Opportunity for Forbes The current reliance on traffic and clicks as a measure of impact is becoming obsolete. —Forbes Press Releases, Forbes.com, 23 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