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 Expect dentists to start prescribing routines, not just products, pairing a midday lozenge or prebiotic rinse with reduced reliance on antiseptics. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026 With more housing near transit comes less reliance on cars, more pedestrian-friendly development, cleaner air and strengthened commercial corridors. — Bennett Lawson, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026 The company has also been deliberate in unwinding its previous reliance on legacy franchises, such as the Dunk and Air Force 1 shoes. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026 Chinese tech giants DeepSeek and Huawei announced a partnership to develop semiconductor software, part of an array of efforts to reduce China’s reliance on US chipmakers and challenge American AI dominance. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 1 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
  • Broadcaster, journalist, Today anchor and avid Wordle player Savannah Guthrie is set to host.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Meta needs its personal agent to be an anchor app for the company, which has been trailing competitors like OpenAI and Google in the red-hot AI market.
    — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of anchor
Noun
  • Architecture choices are easier to change before dependencies become deeply embedded.
    — Swati Deepak Kumar, Forbes.com, 6 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
  • The house and its grounds form the backbone of filming locations, though certain spaces on the property were either too cramped or did not provide the right lighting for film production.
    — Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The agency had to completely overhaul its outdated technological backbone, Patel told Fox News Digital.
    — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of backbone
Noun
  • Neither candidate has a strategy for combatting Brazil’s growing dependence on China for trade, a key issue in the presidential race.
    — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The ruler who turns to AI to reduce a dependence on unreliable humans may end up relying, more blindly than before, on the few AI specialists who keep the system running.
    — Seva Gunitsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of dependence
Noun
  • The rural economy, largely dependent on farming, is also an important pillar of consumer spending.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The ground floor features an 18-seat bar with a rum wall backsplash, carved Moai heads and high-tops that spill out to a lush faux-grass courtyard framed in palm trees and tiki-totem pillars.
    — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 8 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reliance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reliance

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