Definition of reliancenext
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

Relevance
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 Manfred is described as accelerating baseball’s shift from traditional scouting to greater reliance on analytics. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 Mar. 2026 Fairlead Strategies, its officers, employees, affiliates and partners shall not be liable to any person in any way whatsoever for any losses, costs, or claims for your reliance on this material. Katie Stockton, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026 How to Watch Royals vs Braves Atlanta continues to operate with one of the deepest lineups in the sport, built around sustained production rather than reliance on a single hitter. Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026 Van Winkle said the case raises broader concerns about the district’s reliance on outside contracts, which has been a key sticking point in ongoing labor negotiations. Teresa Liu, Daily News, 28 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reliance
Noun
  • Without an anchor point, the atoms migrated away instead of forming a short circuit, preventing device failure even at extreme temperatures.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Mule Alley opened in the summer of 2020 after the Stockyards ownership group spent years converting the historic livestock barns into upscale restaurants, boutiques and bars — with the luxury Hotel Drover as an anchor.
    Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • In the Middle East, Western imperial powers helped engineer a geopolitical order built on instability, mistrust, extraction and armed dependency.
    Mehrnoush Soroush, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
  • With longer mission lifespans and reduced dependency on fuel, satellite operators can lower costs and improve efficiency.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • However, ethanol has become the backbone of the daily commute.
    ABC News, ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Just about any thick, flavorful sauce will work with this technique, but the lingering heat and sweet backbone of the black pepper sauce below pairs particularly well with pork chops.
    Kate Williams, AJC.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Decentralized is about reducing dependence on single points of failure or control, and prioritizing systems that don’t require everyone to trust one operator, one platform, or one bottleneck.
    Big Think, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
  • In the Sumy region, where forests and ravines dominate, Ukrainian operators report greater dependence on such systems against Russian positions protected by netting and electronic warfare.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Markets now price in a greater chance of rate hikes by year-end than cuts, according to CME’s FedWatch tool, removing what had been a key pillar of the bull case for growth stocks.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
  • The upside of being a pillar in more titles as the Falcons move to 5A is high.
    Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reliance. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on reliance

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster