as in to depend
to place reliance or trust
rigorously tested the rope before starting out, for the rock climbers would be relying on it with their very lives
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Recent Examples of rely
One of the hallmarks of any successful team is when the players enforce their own rules instead of relying on coaches to do it for them.
—
Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025
There will be so much of it, after all, and many of the ads are likely to rely on similar elements, like celebrities and humor.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 7 Feb. 2025
In 1981, at the strong urging of Mayor Pete Wilson — one of the more conservative politicians in San Diego’s and California’s history — San Diego fully withdrew from Social Security, leaving employees to rely entirely on its retirement system and, for some, a supplemental savings plan.
—Chris Brewster, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
For individuals relying on Medicaid, losing coverage means skipping doctor visits altogether.
—Tony Christiano, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for rely 
Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025
There will be so much of it, after all, and many of the ads are likely to rely on similar elements, like celebrities and humor.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 7 Feb. 2025
In 1981, at the strong urging of Mayor Pete Wilson — one of the more conservative politicians in San Diego’s and California’s history — San Diego fully withdrew from Social Security, leaving employees to rely entirely on its retirement system and, for some, a supplemental savings plan.
—Chris Brewster, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
For individuals relying on Medicaid, losing coverage means skipping doctor visits altogether.
—Tony Christiano, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for rely
Thesaurus Entries Near rely
Cite this Entry
“Rely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rely. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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