1
as in anchor
something or someone to which one looks for support he's been the family's foremost reliance in times of trouble many times

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2
as in dependency
the quality or state of needing something or someone a baby's reliance on her parents his reliance on his next-door neighbor for all the local gossip

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reliance The mass deployment of technologies that these minerals make possible—fleets of electric cars; flocks of wind turbines; a cleaner energy grid—may be imperative if our society is to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and thereby avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change. Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025 For example, a refinery on Taiwan’s western coast owned by Formosa Petrochemical, increased its reliance on Russian naphtha from 9% before the invasion to 90% in the first six months of 2025. John Liu, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025 Taiwan imports 95 percent of its energy and has a growing reliance on natural gas. Yu-Tzu Chiu, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025 The move quickly drew scrutiny from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, which questioned Ford’s reliance on Chinese technology, minerals and workers. Rebecca A. Fannin, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reliance
Noun
  • Once there, climbers unclip one carabiner, reattach it to the cable after the anchor point, and then repeat with the other carabiner.
    AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Lu’s journal-like songwriting anchors the mythical, otherworldly atmosphere depicted on the album cover and Wisp’s viral music videos.
    John Lonsdale, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Mental health experts warn that consequences may be severe as constant AI conversations can blur boundaries and fuel dependency.
    Sonia Mankame, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
  • There are a variety of treatments, including counseling, medications and support groups, to help people who want to end that dependency.
    Malaka Gharib, NPR, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But that ease can become dependence or even detachment from reality.
    Sonia Mankame, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Since then, China has invested heavily in research and development and pursued a range of industrial policies aimed at upgrading their technological and production prowess and reducing their dependence on foreign competitors.
    Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The bacon fat and rendered ham drippings are the backbone of this super simple savory sauce, studded with small pieces of sweet mirepoix and earthy black-eyed peas.
    Elizabeth Mervosh, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
  • American historiography of the Civil War would be dominated by the Confederate-friendly into the middle of the twentieth century, providing intellectual backbone for the American version of apartheid.
    Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 5 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Authorities said the building’s foundation pillars gave way while construction workers were laying down concrete.
    Britt Clennett, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Votives and tealights are small and subtle accent options, while taper and pillar candles are often much larger.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Harrell received an ice pack on his left knee and walked up and down the 49ers’ sideline until the conclusion of the first half — then returned to the sideline on a crutch in street clothes.
    Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The key is to shape financial help into a catalyst rather than a crutch.
    Monish Verma, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reliance. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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