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
Paramount is relying on equity backing from three Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, including Saudi Arabia.
—
Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
For example, Crow people have held onto their nation's language; neighbors are often family, or considered such; and many tribal members rely on their clans to mentor children, who eventually become mentors themselves for the next generation.
—Katheryn Houghton, NPR, 8 Jan. 2026
After trailing by 15 at the half, the Barons came charging back in third quarter, relying almost exclusively on Kenneth Nguyen, who scored every one of this team’s 13 points in the fourth, leading the Barons to a 51-49 victory over the Sailors at Newport Harbor High School.
—Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Boseman was allegedly let go after voicing his concerns that Reggie’s character relied too much on racial stereotypes.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rely
Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
For example, Crow people have held onto their nation's language; neighbors are often family, or considered such; and many tribal members rely on their clans to mentor children, who eventually become mentors themselves for the next generation.
—Katheryn Houghton, NPR, 8 Jan. 2026
After trailing by 15 at the half, the Barons came charging back in third quarter, relying almost exclusively on Kenneth Nguyen, who scored every one of this team’s 13 points in the fourth, leading the Barons to a 51-49 victory over the Sailors at Newport Harbor High School.
—Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Boseman was allegedly let go after voicing his concerns that Reggie’s character relied too much on racial stereotypes.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rely
Verb
-
Nvidia, for example, depends on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co to fabricate its designs.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Insurance expert Karl Susman said the cost of earthquake insurance depends on multiple factors, including the home itself, when it was built, where it's located, and whether it's bolted.—
Kristine Lazar,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Chalamet has counted a Critics Choice Award, Palm Springs International Film Festival award and a nomination at the upcoming Actor Awards among his accolades for Marty Supreme (all one year after earning the same nods for playing Bob Dylan in 2024’s A Complete Unknown).—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Zhao's feature also counts Hollywood heavyweights Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes as producers.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rely. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
