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 In small towns, where social relationships and mutual reliance are important, the breakdown of trust and the intensification of division is particularly damaging. Laura Backstrom, Scientific American, 8 May 2025 But over the years, the LAFD’s reliance on overtime has generated concerns about fatigue, burnout and whether taxpayer dollars are being used effectively. Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2025 Over the past 18 months, Upstart has added prime loans, HELOCs, small-dollar loans, and has enhanced its auto loan product, expanding its addressable market beyond subprime borrowers and reducing its reliance on riskier credit segments. Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 29 Apr. 2025 Under Carney, Canada is expected to seek closer trade ties with the 27-country European Union and Asia, aiming to reduce its heavy reliance on the United States. Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reliance
Noun
  • One of the most striking parts of the show is the Kells' home, the Cliff House, a sprawling mansion with a massive anchor sunken into the front of the house.
    Jordana Comiter, People.com, 24 May 2025
  • On Wednesday, May 21, morning news anchor Olivia Jaquith opened her live, three-hour telecast with some exciting news about her incoming baby, who was already two days past his due date.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • The unit is eco-friendly and energy-efficient, helping to reduce both power usage and chemical dependency.
    Jason Phillips, USA Today, 17 May 2025
  • The dependency problem arises in any group with falling population, regardless of government programs.
    Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • The implementation of data analytics allows investors to make more informed decisions, reduce dependence on the human factor and increase the objectivity of their assessments.
    Dmitrii Khasanov, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • Their goal is to reduce dependence on foreign technology and take the lead in areas such as climate modeling and personalized medicine.
    Jack Dongarra, The Conversation, 14 May 2025
Noun
  • Together, these technologies are forming the backbone of the modern smart city.
    Hemanth Volikatla, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
  • Small businesses, the backbone of the economy, are bearing the brunt of these actions.
    Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • Each prompt targets one of her four pillars of healthy workplace relationships—trust, belonging, recognition, and collective resilience—and it’s designed to be played at an off-site meeting, while onboarding a new employee, during a one-on-one check-in, or at an after-work happy hour.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 20 May 2025
  • These unbreakable pillars create the framework everything else fits around.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • Drive around the island and catch glimpses of past civilizations: ancient fig trees propped up by wooden crutches; centuries-old windmills that look like giant antique flyswatters; stone walls built by the Moors during the Middle Ages that somehow still look new.
    Julia Chaplin, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2025
  • In general fiction, alcohol is often portrayed as a social crutch, smoothing over awkward interactions or fueling reckless decisions.
    Jessica Guerrieri, People.com, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reliance. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

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