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 The agency argues the devices reduce agency reliance on physical force and, in more dangerous encounters, grant officers an alternative to resorting to a firearm. — Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 Significantly more expensive than cotton, silk’s reliance on sericulture also affects supply stability and scalability. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026 But the market’s reliance on chip stocks presents its own risks. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026 OpenAI's custom chip could reduce its reliance on Nvidia over time for inference workloads, TrendForce Analyst Fion Chiu told CNBC. — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reliance
  1. anchor
  2. dependency
  3. backbone
  4. dependence
  5. pillar
Noun
  • The dreamy setting is an ideal spot to drop anchor for a relaxing swim, snorkel, and linger over a bottle of local wine under umbrella pine trees buzzing with cicadas.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Howard, a mother of five, called her son energetic and an anchor for his younger siblings.
    — Yona Gavino, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of anchor
Noun
  • Toxic candidates, from our experience, often easily answer questions about successes and strengths but struggle with those about about failures, dependencies, and how others experienced working with them.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 24 Aug. 2026
  • To prepare, companies should audit critical suppliers, diversify AI dependencies, bolster financing, stress-test customer bases, and continue strategic AI investments.
    — Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of dependency
Noun
  • The tablet combines bictegravir, the backbone of Gilead’s blockbuster HIV pill Biktarvy, with lenacapavir, a first-in-class capsid inhibitor that has become a centerpiece of the company’s long-term strategy for HIV treatment and prevention.
    — Justina Lee, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Combine drought with fire and the backbone of the Everglades — its marshy peat soil — also becomes more vulnerable.
    — Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of backbone
Noun
  • Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been working intensively to reduce their dependence on the strait, building pipelines and investing in storage facilities to transport their oil by other routes.
    — Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The Pohang project is also part of a broader strategy to expand magnet manufacturing capacity while reducing dependence on China for critical rare earth magnet supply.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of dependence
Noun
  • Volkswagen’s prosperity was recently based on two pillars – huge profits earned in China, and the highly successful German base where its engineers led the world for decades in making and exporting advanced sedans and SUVs.
    — Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Narrower set of engines Next week's nonfarm payrolls report could also give some reassurance on how the economy is doing, which remains robust but with weakening pillars of support.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 28 Aug. 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 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reliance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reliance

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