as in depending
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 relying
There are many potential downsides to relying too much on AI personas; see my cautions at the link here.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Mensah grew up in extreme poverty, living with his mother Naomi and three siblings in low-income housing and relying on food stamps and church food banks.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
This gap leaves professionals relying on memory, intuition, and fragmented references sometimes at the cost of precision and confidence.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
However, relying on ratio analysis alone carries risks, as these relationships can remain skewed longer than expected.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Today, however, many companies are instead relying on AI and other technological advances to replace the roles that entry-level employees once played.
—Patrick E. Hopkins, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
The wagering platform hopes to attract people to betting who don’t already spend their days thinking about odds and spreads by relying on a decidedly different kind of spokesperson for its Super Bowl ad.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, Apple has been a key customer, relying on Corning's glass for its flagship device.
—Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Triple Actif Anti-Wrinkle Cream Fonda is a big moisturizer girl, relying on the Mila Moursi Paris Triple Actif Cream for supple skin, according to Prevention.
—Ruby McAuliffe, InStyle, 21 Jan. 2026
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Mensah grew up in extreme poverty, living with his mother Naomi and three siblings in low-income housing and relying on food stamps and church food banks.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
This gap leaves professionals relying on memory, intuition, and fragmented references sometimes at the cost of precision and confidence.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
However, relying on ratio analysis alone carries risks, as these relationships can remain skewed longer than expected.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Today, however, many companies are instead relying on AI and other technological advances to replace the roles that entry-level employees once played.
—Patrick E. Hopkins, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
The wagering platform hopes to attract people to betting who don’t already spend their days thinking about odds and spreads by relying on a decidedly different kind of spokesperson for its Super Bowl ad.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, Apple has been a key customer, relying on Corning's glass for its flagship device.
—Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Triple Actif Anti-Wrinkle Cream Fonda is a big moisturizer girl, relying on the Mila Moursi Paris Triple Actif Cream for supple skin, according to Prevention.
—Ruby McAuliffe, InStyle, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relying
Verb
-
Social media reaction — good or bad, depending on the performance and result — is an unreliable barometer of reality.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Broil until cheese is melted, browned, and bubbling, 3–6 minutes, depending on your oven (watch carefully).—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Cohen is counting on both of those things to be true to get the club closer to its lofty goal of competing for a league championship in its first season.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
12 Jan. 2026
-
After the rapid release of three studio albums in the span of three years, not counting a flurry of EPs and live recordings, Bryan mostly took last year off to recalibrate.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Kimmel had a tumultuous 2025, temporarily going off the air after conservative-leaning affiliate owners suspended the show following Kimmel’s remarks in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting.—
David Matthews,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
While China has a more advanced humanoid and service bot ecosystem, European startups are leaning into drones, while American firms dominate in premium medical bots and robotics software.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relying. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
