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

• anchor
• dependance
• backbone
• dependence
• pillar
• crutch

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

Bottom of the list was Alaska, which scored poorly across all categories, and whose economy has been weighed down by its reliance on oil, CNBC said. —Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025

This question is very important given China’s reliance on coal. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 11 July 2025

That reduces reliance on third-party APIs and provides more direct control over how systems are built and managed. —Fabio Caversan, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025

European governments view Eutelsat as a way to increase sovereign space capabilities and reduce European reliance on U.S. firms for satellite communications and defence. —Jenni Reid, CNBC, 11 July 2025

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