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
  • But Okoro should have room to develop in this next chapter — both as a perimeter anchor and a reliable offensive player — without the urgency of a contending rotation.
    Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Traditional mooring systems often become either too tight or too loose as water depths shift, causing strain on anchors and reducing the efficiency and lifespan of floating solar platforms.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 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
  • Should the bold promises of AI fall short, the dependence among these major AI players could trigger a devastating chain reaction, causing a widespread collapse similar to the 2008 Great Financial Crisis.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The partnership also diversifies OpenAI’s chip supply, easing dependence on a single vendor.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 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
  • Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin have been around for about half of the franchise’s existence — two long-time pillars on the back end.
    Michael Russo, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Van Epps has made his military service a central pillar of his campaign, featuring a Chinook helicopter on his campaign logo.
    Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 7 Oct. 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 8 Oct. 2025.

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