Synonyms of rely

rely

verb

ri-ˈlī 

as in to depend

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

• depend
• count
• call upon
• lean
• stand on
• look to
• call on
• calculate
• trust
• bank on
• reckon
• confide
• entrust
• figure on
• commit
• intrust

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• suspect
• question
• distrust
• mistrust

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of rely

This decline undermines the quality of findings by, for example, forcing researchers to rely on smaller sample sizes. —Brian Deese, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025

Some ideas rely on the first stars at the cosmic dawn to heat nearby clumps. —Paul Sutter, Space.com, 21 Apr. 2025

As a result, fire departments are left to rely more on mutual aid and overtime of its firefighters, with concerns that this will lead to more burnout, officials said. —Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2025

Taxpayers and their advisors will need to rely on remaining guidance on partnership tax issues and, because of restrictions on new regulations, may not have the benefit of additional guidance on the change in enforcement methods and priorities. —Joshua D. Smeltzer, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025