reliance

noun

re·​li·​ance ri-ˈlī-ən(t)s 

1

: the act of relying : the state of being reliant

2

: something or someone relied on

Synonyms

• anchor
• buttress
• dependence
• dependance
• mainstay
• pillar
• standby

Examples of reliance in a Sentence

he's been the family's foremost reliance in times of trouble many times

a baby's reliance on her parents

Recent Examples on the Web

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

There’s broad reliance on Medicaid for health coverage About 71 million adults are enrolled in Medicaid now. —Geoff Mulvihill, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2025

Moran said the system must evaluate its use of costly vendors, reduce reliance on contractual employees, and listen to feedback from staff on how things can be better run. —Sam Gauntt, Baltimore Sun, 15 June 2025

Sleep Awake, developed by Eyes Out team Cory Davis and Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck, is a first-person horror tale that centers on the reliance on psychedelic medicines to combat the need for sleeping in order to prevent disappearing. —Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 13 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing reliance

• self-reliance

Rhymes for reliance

• appliance
• compliance
• defiance
• geoscience
• neuroscience
• noncompliance
• pseudoscience
• science

Kids Definition

reliance

noun

re·​li·​ance ri-ˈlī-ən(t)s 

1

: the act of relying

2

: the condition or attitude of one who relies : dependence

3

: something or someone relied on

Legal Definition

reliance

noun

re·​li·​ance ri-ˈlī-əns 

1

: the act of relying

reliance on a promise

2

: reliance interest at interest 1