rely

verb

re·​ly ri-ˈlī 

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

relier

ri-ˈlī(-ə)r 

noun

Synonyms of rely

• depend
• count

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

Maintaining command-and-control links matters when troops rely on aerial sensors to gather information beyond their immediate positions. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026

By bringing clarity to a process that previously relied on guesswork, Covet is changing how people give and receive. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026

Accenture and Google Cloud, meanwhile, are building a 1,000-person FDE workforce, relying partly on retraining experienced software engineers for customer-facing AI deployment work. — Barbara Booth, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

The waterway relied on gravity to transport water to the Second Temple complex, the center of Jewish religious life at the time, where it was used for ritual purification and cleaning up after sacrifices. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rely

• rely on/upon

Rhymes for rely

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny

Kids 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

Legal Definition

rely

intransitive verb

re·​ly

relied; relying

: to depend with confidence : place faith