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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 As global businesses cut their reliance on third-party firms for integration and digital transformation jobs, GCCs are already a growing space. Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025 For years, Fire OS’s reliance on AOSP has resulted in Amazon devices coming out with older software, such as 2024’s Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet, which came out with Fire OS 8, which is based on 2020’s Android 11. Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025 The culprit, in his view, is Americans’ reliance on prescription drugs. Paula Span, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025 Her legal team also commissioned their own review by former Riverside County Superior Court Judge Burke Strunsky, who criticized Cordell’s reliance on anonymous sources and unrecorded interviews. Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reliance
Noun
  • And with her, his spiritual anchor.
    Ted Katauskas, Outside, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Strahan, who is the daughter of Good Morning America co-anchor and former NFL player Michael Strahan, posted an inspirational TikTok video detailing her journey while fighting an aggressive brain cancer diagnosis in 2023 and life after.
    Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • When traffic collapsed after a major search algorithm update, the team reworked audience acquisition to reduce single-source dependency.
    Jon Stojan, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
  • As a purist, Murray defines sobriety as being completely abstinent from habit-forming substances that could cause dependency, including prescription drugs like Xanax and Suboxone.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The latter reveals the fashion industry’s rising dependence on unsustainable synthetic materials.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Closing that loop on location reduces dependence on long supply chains and the kinds of shocks ripple through commodity markets when geopolitics or shipping bottlenecks bite.
    Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Since the end of the pandemic, consumers have proved to be the backbone of the American economy—much to the surprise of some of Wall Street’s biggest names.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025
  • The Wild’s best forwards all bring a lot to the table defensively, and they’re aided by a strong defensive backbone in the top four, headlined by Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin.
    The Athletic NHL, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Every venue on this tour is an historic jewel from some two to five hundred years ago, and the Paradiso is adorned with ornate crown molding, white pillars, and arched balconies.
    Jonathan Terrell, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025
  • The concrete pillars are less than 2 feet above ground, and are 3 feet wide, but go down 80 feet into the earth.
    Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 23 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 30 Sep. 2025.

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