as in to depend
to place reliance or trust
rigorously tested the rope before starting out, for the rock climbers would be relying on it with their very lives
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 rely
Miami likely will rely on a lot of three-receiver sets, with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Malik Washington taking snaps that might have otherwise gone to a tight end.
—
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025
Gelato is very similar to ice cream, but only relies on milk instead of heavy cream for a slightly lighter, icier texture than traditional homemade ice cream.
—Erin Hooker, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2025
Israel, meanwhile, relies on both subterfuge and robust regular ground and air forces that are apparently unmatched in the region.
—Christopher Bodeen, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025
The regime relies on repression—crackdowns, imprisonment, torture, executions—to maintain control of a stifled and restive population.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rely
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025
Gelato is very similar to ice cream, but only relies on milk instead of heavy cream for a slightly lighter, icier texture than traditional homemade ice cream.
—Erin Hooker, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2025
Israel, meanwhile, relies on both subterfuge and robust regular ground and air forces that are apparently unmatched in the region.
—Christopher Bodeen, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025
The regime relies on repression—crackdowns, imprisonment, torture, executions—to maintain control of a stifled and restive population.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rely
Verb
-
Changing this idea to an in-game system where you are now being asked to achieve something (go flawless in Trials of Osiris) to unlock the ability to buy a digital ornament for real money (this will cost about $7-10 depending on your Silver stores).—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
-
Florida depends on the federal government for about 34% of its budget — and roughly two-thirds of its $34 billion Medicaid budget.—
Scott Cohn,
CNBC,
12 July 2025
Verb
-
Best known for their gaming broadcasts and challenges, the cohort are among Twitch’s most prominent content groups and collectively counts tens of millions of followers across members’ respective channels.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
5 July 2025
-
Senate Republicans argue that because the bill extends current tax law, those cuts shouldn't be counted.—
Jim Sergent,
USA Today,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rely. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share