rely

verb re·ly \ ri-ˈlī \

Definition of rely

relied; relying

intransitive verb

1 :to be dependent

the system on which we rely for water

2 :to have confidence based on experience

someone you can rely on

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relier

play \-ˈlī(-ə)r\ noun

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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 of rely from the Web

The team will also rely on creative play-making by midfielders Liadan Stammler and Molly Lynch and strong leadership from defensive players like Courtalis and Natalie Berkey.

— randy mcroberts, The Aegis, "2017 girls soccer preview," 30 Aug. 2017
Edwin Shoemate runs a roughly 515-student district in southern Illinois’ Cobden, which relies on the state for much of its $4.3 million annual budget.

— sophia tareen, The Seattle Times, "Illinois Senate approves school funding overhaul," 29 Aug. 2017
Whataboutism is a cheap rhetorical tactic that relies on drawing false or sketchy comparisons between two things which may not actually be all that comparable.

— philip bump, Washington Post, "Why is whataboutism having a moment?," 29 Aug. 2017
Glossier almost relies on it: Emily regularly crowdsources product feedback from fans, and there’s even a Slack channel for the brand’s most engaged customers.

— jessica matlin, Teen Vogue, "These 3 Beauty Brands Are Exclusively Run By WOMEN," 29 Aug. 2017
There is no margin for error, no easy runs, no overwhelming strength to rely on.

— sam mellinger, kansascity, "Sal Perez comes back, Kelvin Herrera may be hurt, and the Royals cycle continues," 23 Aug. 2017
The resolution of the episode relied on Gendry running to Eastwatch, sending a raven to Daenerys, and Daenerys flying beyond the Wall to save Jon and his men from the White Walkers.

— julie kosin, Harper's BAZAAR, "A Game of Thrones Fan Just Explained How Much Time Passed in "Beyond the Wall"," 22 Aug. 2017
Plus, modern factories rely more on automation than ever, so even if production comes back, it might be done by robots.

— andrew mayeda, star-telegram, "Made in America: Nation’s last baseball-glove maker refuses to die in Texas," 20 Aug. 2017
Tech companies cannot rely on algorithms alone to detect what’s really harmful and what is not, either.

— nick bilton, vanityfair.com, "Can Silicon Valley Disrupt Its Neo-Nazi Problem?," 17 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rely.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of rely

Middle English relien to rally, from Anglo-French relier to retie, gather, rally, from Latin religare to tie out of the way, from re- + ligare to tie — more at ligature

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First Known Use: 1574

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