rely

verb

re·​ly ri-ˈlī How to pronounce rely (audio)
relied; relying

intransitive verb

1
: to be dependent
the system on which we rely for water
2
: to have confidence based on experience
someone you can rely on
relier noun

Examples of rely in a Sentence

rigorously tested the rope before starting out, for the rock climbers would be relying on it with their very lives
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To buy a company, a PE firm typically relies on debt financing, aka borrowing the money from a bank. Allison Morrow, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024 In a study conducted by Branch, a workforce payment platform, 61% of respondents who engage in gig work rely on it as their primary income, up from 21% in 2021. Jason Leverant, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 The Trump-critical drama The Apprentice, starring Sebastian Stan as Trump and Jeremy Strong as his ’80s-era Svengali mentor, Roy Cohn, relied on Danish and Irish backing and Ali Abbasi, a Danish-Iranian director, to get made. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024 The brand is also relying on that product’s success as inspiration for its latest one. Emily Burns, WWD, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rely 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English relien to rally, from Anglo-French relier to retie, gather, rally, from Latin religare to tie out of the way, from re- + ligare to tie — more at ligature

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rely was in 1574

Dictionary Entries Near rely

Cite this Entry

“Rely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rely. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

rely

verb
re·​ly ri-ˈlī How to pronounce rely (audio)
relied; relying
1
: to have confidence based on experience
someone you can rely on
2
: to be dependent
the system on which we rely for water

Legal Definition

rely

intransitive verb
re·​ly
relied; relying
: to depend with confidence : place faith

More from Merriam-Webster on rely

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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