reliance

noun

ri-ˈlī-ən(t)s How to pronounce reliance (audio)
Definition of reliancenext
1
as in anchor
something or someone to which one looks for support he's been the family's foremost reliance in times of trouble many times

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in dependency
the quality or state of needing something or someone a baby's reliance on her parents his reliance on his next-door neighbor for all the local gossip

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of reliance That was before the war in Iran laid bare the world’s reliance on fossil fuels, and triggered a global green energy boom. — Simmone Shah, Time, 14 Oct. 2026 Owned by Nord Stream AG, whose majority shareholder is the Russian gas firm Gazprom, the pipelines were divisive even before the start of the Ukraine war, mainly due to concerns over European reliance on cheap Russian hydrocarbons. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 The researchers also suggest running suitable language models directly on the smartphone to reduce reliance on the laptop currently handling conversation. — New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026 These fuels could take the place of conventional fuels in current uses, which would help reduce reliance on centralized production and long, easily disrupted supply chains. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reliance
  1. anchor
  2. dependency
  3. backbone
  4. dependence
  5. pillar
Noun
  • Sulaeman said that a tanker carrying fuel to Bali suffered an anchor problem while preparing to unload cargo, delaying deliveries to the island’s main fuel terminals.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • After starting out in Canadian radio in the 1960s, Morrison joined the CTV Network in 1973 as a correspondent, producer and eventually a news anchor.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of anchor
Noun
  • Identify dependencies and separate unresolved questions affecting the investment decision from initiatives that can begin after closing.
    — James Fratzke, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Given these concerns, companies are looking to diversify their AI usage, and reduce their dependency on the leading AI companies.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of dependency
Noun
  • Zelenskyy said that Kyiv was investigating sudden speed restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starshield, the military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, which is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations and communication.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Network is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations Starshield is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of backbone
Noun
  • Compact optical clocks could eventually contribute to such systems by providing stable timing references onboard vehicles, reducing dependence on external signals.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • At Thursday’s Calgary rally and Friday’s Edmonton rally, the crowd erupted in its loudest applause when Carney spoke about reducing Canada’s economic dependence on the United States.
    — Rob Gillies, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of dependence
Noun
  • The three pillars of regenerative agriculture Here’s an easy way to picture it.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The collaboration falls during MCM’s 50th anniversary year and serves to reaffirm sport as a pillar of its history.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of pillar

Browse Nearby Words

reliableness
reliance
reliances
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reliance. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reliance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reliance

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