reliance

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The state of needing someone or something and depending on it to work, help or supply what is wanted.

   Grammar: Usually followed by on or upon: reliance on volunteers, not reliance of volunteers.

   Patterns

   • reliance on something
   • reliance on someone for something

   The country's heavy reliance on imported oil makes it vulnerable.

   Her reliance on her brother for rides became a problem.

   Reducing reliance on fossil fuels is a major goal.

2. 2noununcountableformal

   A feeling of trust or confidence that someone or something will behave in the way you expect.

   Grammar: Mostly in formal writing and often with place: you can place reliance on a witness.

   Patterns

   • place reliance on someone
   • reliance in someone

   The judge placed little reliance on the witness's memory.

   Investors showed great reliance on the company's promises.

   There is little reliance to be placed on early test results.

Common combinations

heavy reliance on

The farm has a heavy reliance on seasonal workers.

reduce reliance on

We want to reduce our reliance on single-use plastic.

place reliance on

Do not place too much reliance on a single source.

overreliance on

Overreliance on calculators weakens mental arithmetic.

growing reliance

There is a growing reliance on online shopping.

Synonyms and how they differ

dependence

Dependence is the closest match and can sound stronger, as in drug dependence, while reliance is often a practical habit of using something.

trust

Trust is about believing in someone's honesty or ability, whereas reliance also covers needing something to function.

dependency

Dependency often describes a harmful or unhealthy need, while reliance is neutral.

confidence

Confidence emphasizes certainty that something will work; reliance emphasizes actually leaning on it.

Opposites

Word family

rely verb

to depend on or trust someone or something

reliant adjective

depending on someone or something

reliable adjective

able to be trusted to work or behave well

reliability noun

the quality of being dependable

self-reliance noun

trusting your own abilities rather than others

Commonly confused: reliance or reliability?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “reliance”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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