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
San Antonio relied heavily on the three-point shot, but with little success.
—
Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026
Interviews with 12 current and former CBS News staffers, from producers to executives, suggest great reservations and suspicions remain about Weiss' judgment and her ability to handle the prominent and even famous journalists on whom her division relies.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 3 June 2026
Some of the nearly 42 million low-income Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, have run out of time to prepare for new work requirements.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 3 June 2026
However, it could also be seen as a sign of the strength of Pratt running a campaign with a clear message and going beyond relying just on name recognition.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rely
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Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026
Interviews with 12 current and former CBS News staffers, from producers to executives, suggest great reservations and suspicions remain about Weiss' judgment and her ability to handle the prominent and even famous journalists on whom her division relies.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 3 June 2026
Some of the nearly 42 million low-income Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, have run out of time to prepare for new work requirements.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 3 June 2026
However, it could also be seen as a sign of the strength of Pratt running a campaign with a clear message and going beyond relying just on name recognition.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 3 June 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 6 Jun. 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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