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 Or does this shift raise concerns about reliability and over reliance on tech? Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2025 With America at war in Iraq, ethanol’s boosters were touting the mandate as a win-win that would reduce reliance on Middle Eastern oil while propping up demand for Midwestern corn. Michael Grunwald july 21, Literary Hub, 21 July 2025 The Pokémon Company When the trading system launched in Pokémon TCG Pocket earlier this year, feedback from players was very poor, with most frustrated with the system's reliance on trade tokens, which were fairly limited and couldn't be earned through regular gameplay. Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025 Bottom of the list was Alaska, which scored poorly across all categories, and whose economy has been weighed down by its reliance on oil, CNBC said. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for reliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reliance
Noun
  • These include fold-down aft bulwarks that enlarge the beach club area when at anchor (a feature first seen on the GTX 80) and a vertically sliding glass partition that separates the aft deck seating area from the interior bar and galley.
    Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 23 July 2025
  • Mesa Economic Development Director Jaye O’Donnell said Macerich, the owner of the mall but not all of the anchor stores, has expressed interest in adding new shopping and restaurants in and around the mall site.
    Corina Vanek, AZCentral.com, 23 July 2025
Noun
  • Only 5% of companies assess their environmental impacts, fewer than 1% understand their dependencies on nature.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Simultaneously, the labor market is quickly transitioning off its dependency on government and back to the productive private sector.
    E.J. Antoni, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
Noun
  • Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in recent days said his country needs to wean itself off of dependence on the US - particularly citing security - as Tokyo faces the prospect of new tariffs.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
  • In March, Trump invoked emergency powers under the Defense Production Act to expand domestic production of critical minerals as part of broader efforts to reduce U.S. dependence on China.
    Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Over time, those pages formed the backbone of four books.
    Farshad Asl, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • From Andratx to Pollença, the Serra de Tramuntana forms the northern backbone of Mallorca.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 July 2025
Noun
  • Hendrix’s towering and well-maintained monument includes a stone dome with pillars, a giant steel guitar and a portrait of him etched in granite.
    Suzette Hackney, USA Today, 19 July 2025
  • According to the brand, fewer than 10% of women are backed by sponsors, and the You Sponsored initiative was created to award 10 women custom deals to amplify their dreams across three pillars: opportunity (the recipients will receive $20,000 in funding), connections and visibility.
    Catherine Santino, People.com, 19 July 2025
Noun
  • The idea of crutches on cobblestone streets was comical, ridiculous and potentially dangerous.
    Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025
  • In McLeod’s view, the future of AI could streamline the matching element of dating, working as a service rather than a crutch for users.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 24 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reliance. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on reliance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!