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

How Plate Tectonics Shook Life into Existence The cycles of life all rely on the dynamism of the Earth’s crust. —JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024

But these new tech transitions rely on substantial energy, both to build the data centers and to maintain the computing servers. —Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 June 2024

In fact, so many travelers rely on it that more than 3,000 were sold in the last month. —Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2024

The nation’s volunteer fire services rely on residents who leave work or home to respond to community emergencies. —Tim Craig, Washington Post, 23 June 2024