rely

American  

[ri-lahy] / rɪˈlaɪ /

verb (used without object)

relied, relying

1. to depend confidently; put trust in (usually followed by on orupon ).

   You can rely on her work.

   Synonyms:

   bank, count, trust

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rely British  

/ rɪˈlaɪ /

verb

1. to be dependent (on)

   he relies on his charm

2. to have trust or confidence (in)

   you can rely on us

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Other Word Forms

• misrely
  verb (used without object)

Etymology

Origin of rely

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English relien, from Middle French relier, from Latin religāre “to bind fast, hold firmly”; see re-, ligament

Explanation

To rely is to have confidence in something. You might rely on staying in bed to make you feel better and rely on your friends to tell you everything you missed when you were sick. Rely is a lot like the word depend. If you rely on someone for help, you also depend on her. But rely is even more powerful! When you rely on someone, you have total faith and trust that she will come through. It comes from the Latin word religare which means "to fasten or bind." You're bound to the people you rely on!

Example Sentences

Most producers rely on solar evaporation, a process that pumps brine into enormous outdoor ponds and leaves it exposed to the sun for months or even years until enough water evaporates.

From Science Daily • May 23, 2026

Having someone you can rely on and trust reduces stress and enhances well-being.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

The scale of illegal streaming is difficult to measure as most estimates rely on polling and self-reporting rather than direct tracking.

From BBC • May 23, 2026

This could be a big problem for stores whose customers rely heavily on SNAP.

From Salon • May 22, 2026

Our robot would have to rely on her wits.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown