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Synonyms

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

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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”; re-, ligament

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.

"That relies on asking for help and that is not always easy," she told the States Assembly.

From BBC

But the U.N. pipeline supplies groups that it relies on to implement aid programs on the ground.

From The Wall Street Journal

This approach relies on cascaded second-harmonic generation within nonlinear crystals, producing UV-C pulses that last only femtoseconds, less than 1 trillionth of a second.

From Science Daily

To measure the heat within the cluster, the team relied on a technique known as the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect.

From Science Daily

Many Cubans rely on remittances from family members abroad.

From The Wall Street Journal