reliance

American  

[ri-lahy-uhns] / rɪˈlaɪ əns /

noun

1. confident or trustful dependence.

   Synonyms:

   assurance, faith, trust, confidence

2. confidence.

3. something or someone relied on.

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reliance British  

/ rɪˈlaɪəns /

noun

1. dependence, confidence, or trust

2. something or someone upon which one relies

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Other Word Forms

• misreliance noun
• nonreliance noun
• overreliance noun
• reliant adjective
• reliantly adverb
• superreliance noun

Etymology

Origin of reliance

First recorded in 1600–10; rely + -ance

Explanation

The word reliance is the noun form of the verb rely, which means to depend. Your reliance on the Internet for your information will be your undoing, if the power ever goes out. A person's reliance on something is their dependence on it. A mime's reliance on silence is the key to his performance: if he speaks, he'll be ruined. Your reliance on the kindness of strangers makes sense when you consider that you'll never run out of strangers upon whom to rely. Too bad you can't just lean on the folks that you know.

Example Sentences

“But delayed parenthood often comes with increased reliance on fertility care, and today, too many people who want children face significant barriers to accessing it.”

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026

The alumina industry’s reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, through which maritime traffic was mostly blocked during much of the first quarter, put pressure on alumina prices and demand, Chief Executive Bill Oplinger said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

The government insists that focusing on renewables will ultimately deliver greater energy security by reducing reliance on imported gas, lowering emissions and - crucially - cutting bills.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

But with obesity rates continuing to climb, researchers are beginning to question whether this reliance on staple carbohydrates still makes sense in modern diets.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

You may attempt to defend your enervating use of the passive voice by pointing out that the only alternative is excessive reliance upon the first person personal pronoun or upon the pontifical We.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

• dependence