noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ɹɪˈlaɪ.əns/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -aɪəns
CMU ARPABET:R IH0 L AY1 AH0 N S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:R IY0 L AY1 AH0 N S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The act of relying (on or in someone or something); trust.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Your reliance on his expertise may be misplaced.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The condition of being reliant or dependent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
The industry is working to phase out its reliance on fossil fuels.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Anything on which to rely; ground of trust.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, dated, uncountable
Examples
The boat was a poor reliance.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A person or thing which relies on another.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
certainty based on past experience
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he wrote the paper with considerable reliance on the work of other scientists
he put more trust in his own two legs than in the gun
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: trust
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: certainty
6
noun
Meaning 6
the state of relying on something
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: dependence, dependance, dependency
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English rely Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -iader. Old French -ancebor. Middle English -aunce English -ance English reliance From rely + -ance.
Across languages
Translations
36 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
վստահություն
(vstahutʻyun)
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Bashkir:
ышаныс
(ışanıs)
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Bulgarian:
доверие
(doverie)
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Bulgarian:
упование
(upovanie)
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Finnish:
turvautuminen
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
French:
confiance
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
German:
Verlass
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
German:
Vertrauen
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Greek:
εμπιστοσύνη
(empistosýni)
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Hindi:
निर्भरता
(nirbhartā)
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Italian:
fiducia
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Italian:
confidenza
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Norwegian Bokmål:
avhengighet
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Polish:
zaufanie
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Portuguese:
confiança
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Russian:
дове́рие
(dovérije)
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Slovak:
spoliehanie sa
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Slovak:
dôvera
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Spanish:
confianza
— The act of relying on someone or something; trust
Bulgarian:
разчитане на
(razčitane na)
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
Finnish:
riippuvaisuus
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
French:
dépendance
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
German:
Abhängigkeit
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
Hindi:
निर्भरता
(nirbhartā)
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
Italian:
dipendenza
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
Norwegian Bokmål:
avhengighet
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
Polish:
poleganie
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
Polish:
bluszczowatość
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
Polish:
bluszczowość
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
Portuguese:
dependência
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
Slovak:
závislosť
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
Spanish:
dependencia
— The condition of being reliant or dependent
German:
Vertrauende
— A person or thing which relies on another
German:
Abhängige
— A person or thing which relies on another
Italian:
affidamento
— A person or thing which relies on another
Spanish:
dependiente
— A person or thing which relies on another
