rely on/upon

phrasal verb

relied on/upon; relying on/upon; relies on/upon

1

: to need (someone or something) for support, help, etc. : to depend on (someone or something)

My mother relied on me for financial support.

They rely on a well for all their water.

2

: to trust or believe (someone or something)

She's someone you can rely on.

I relied heavily upon your advice.

You could always rely on him to disagree.

3

: to expect (something) with confidence : to be certain that (something) will happen or exist

The economy may improve next year, but it's not something you can rely on.

Examples of rely on/upon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many of these companies still rely on traditional documentation and traceability methods, which can hinder their ability to adapt to new requirements. —Adrian Stelmach, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

The salty water of the sea contaminates the groundwater that these forests rely on, affecting the soil chemistry and tree health, slowly killing the forests near the coast, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024

In the past, managers could rely on administrative or knowledge-based work to cover for weaker people skills. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024

Many news outlets also rely on the Associated Press, which outlined its race-calling process here. —Barbara Rodriguez, Terri Rupar, Them, 31 Oct. 2024