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
The more costly and complicated labor becomes for ride-share companies, the more eager these firms will be to reduce their reliance on human drivers altogether.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2025
The goal is to reduce reliance on China for critical products in hopes that this will also protect U.S. intellectual property from theft.
—William Akoto, The Conversation, 25 June 2025
Insufficient staffing disrupts service delivery, increases reliance on costly emergency interventions, and drives long-term expenditures on healthcare.
—Brian Cusack, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025
Moreover, too much reliance on social media during breaking news events can open the door for misinformation to be accepted as factual, especially if officials inadvertently base their reports on false information.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for reliance
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2025
The goal is to reduce reliance on China for critical products in hopes that this will also protect U.S. intellectual property from theft.
—William Akoto, The Conversation, 25 June 2025
Insufficient staffing disrupts service delivery, increases reliance on costly emergency interventions, and drives long-term expenditures on healthcare.
—Brian Cusack, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025
Moreover, too much reliance on social media during breaking news events can open the door for misinformation to be accepted as factual, especially if officials inadvertently base their reports on false information.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reliance
Noun
-
Housed in the 1907 Westland Building, a former steam supply warehouse, the hotel anchors RailSpur, a placemaking initiative that connects three historic structures in Pioneer Square through alleys that draw in the public with the promise of art and cocktails.—
Leilani Marie Labong,
Travel + Leisure,
29 June 2025
-
What To Know Trump sat down last week for an interview with Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo that aired on Sunday Morning Futures.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
Noun
-
The breaks show the hidden dependencies where your business still needs you as a crutch.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
The states with the highest vice dependencies are Mississippi, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee.—
Sophie Clark,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
This dependence curtails privacy, limits use, and reinforces existing gender norms.—
TrickleUp,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
And then the 1973 oil crisis abruptly pointed out the big problem with cars: energy dependence.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
Non-Alcoholic Summer Celebrations Beverages are the backbone of many summer gatherings.—
Sarah Perez,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
Oil wells, refineries, pipelines and shipping lanes are the backbone of energy markets.—
Skip York,
The Conversation,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Hou identifies three core pillars that guide its allocations: income generators, secular growth equities and alpha-generating alternative investments.—
DBS Private Bank,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
-
Baby boomers—who were critical to Trump's win in 2024, when 51 percent of the age group voted for him—remain a vital pillar of his political base.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
Unlike traditional bilingual books, which print side-by-side translations that learners can rely on as a crutch, FabuLingua’s approach is purely auditory.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
USA Today,
1 July 2025
-
Without this foundation of discernment and ethics, AI tools risk becoming crutches rather than enhancement tools that prepare students for responsible AI use throughout their academic and professional careers.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reliance. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share