rely
verb (used without object)
to depend confidently; put trust in (usually followed by on orupon ).
had relied
-
past perfectof rely.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The world’s largest oil importer for months had relied on its own stockpiles of crude for nearly half of its daily consumption, providing a reprieve for oil markets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
The site was home to scarce plants including pyramidal and bee orchids, and a rare colony of marbled white butterflies that had relied on common knapweed and red fescue.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
But perhaps most saliently, the whole incident brought to light just how much the Supreme Court had relied on this particular security firm in the past.
From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2026
California traditionally had relied on the Sierra snowpack to hold about 30% of its water, on average.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2026
He hadn’t realized how much he had relied on Reyna.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
