Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

reliant

American  
[ri-lahy-uhnt] / rɪˈlaɪ ənt /

adjective

  1. having or showing dependence.

    reliant on money from home.

  2. confident; trustful.


Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of reliant

First recorded in 1855–60; rely + -ant


Explanation

To be reliant is to depend on someone or something. When you're reliant on a person, you need that person. There are a lot ways people and things can be reliant. Kids are reliant on their parents for food and shelter. We're all reliant on the police to keep us safe, but the police are reliant on the government for funding. Being reliant is about being dependent. If you can do without something, you're not reliant on it. When you feel like you don't need other people, you can say you're self-reliant.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing reliant

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.

See Examples For:

Legal experts have cautioned that pursuing companies linked to the ongoing pollution remains challenging, with investigations reliant on cooperation from foreign authorities.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Ukraine’s stocks of munitions for the F-16s also dried up several months ago, and pilots are reliant on the planes to shoot down the jet-powered drones currently pummeling Ukraine, air-defense officers in the country say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Nearly a quarter of Wales lacks 4G coverage from every mobile network operator, according to Ofcom, external - leaving some communities reliant on masts hosted by farmers and landowners.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Without the scale and profitability of tech giants, the newcomers have been heavily reliant on debt to expand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

They are tied to networks, reliant on phones, eager to communicate their messages and science, use technology to develop and further it.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 14,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training