rely

verb

re·​ly ri-ˈlī How to pronounce rely (audio)
relied; relying

intransitive verb

1
: to be dependent
the system on which we rely for water
2
: to have confidence based on experience
someone you can rely on
relier noun

Examples of rely in a Sentence

rigorously tested the rope before starting out, for the rock climbers would be relying on it with their very lives
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Additionally, Hometown prioritizes data security to ensure the privacy and protection of sensitive information, which is a critical concern as schools increasingly rely on digital platforms. Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025 With athletic directors increasingly consumed by revenue generation, schools are relying more and more on outside firms to help fill holes up and down their staff directories, from Olympic sports coaches to even more esoteric positions. Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 16 Jan. 2025 From Reactive To Predictive Traditional industrial monitoring relied on manual inspections and reactive maintenance, which could result in significant downtime and inefficient resource allocation. Raghunandan Gurumurthy, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025 The city relies extensively on the approval of state loans and other sources of funding that are under the governor’s purview. Alexandra Berzon, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for rely 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English relien to rally, from Anglo-French relier to retie, gather, rally, from Latin religare to tie out of the way, from re- + ligare to tie — more at ligature

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rely was in 1574

Dictionary Entries Near rely

Cite this Entry

“Rely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rely. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

rely

verb
re·​ly ri-ˈlī How to pronounce rely (audio)
relied; relying
1
: to have confidence based on experience
someone you can rely on
2
: to be dependent
the system on which we rely for water

Legal Definition

rely

intransitive verb
re·​ly
relied; relying
: to depend with confidence : place faith

More from Merriam-Webster on rely

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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