rely on/upon
phrasal verb
relied on/upon; relying on/upon; relies on/upon
1
: to need (someone or something) for support, help, etc. : to depend on (someone or something)
My mother relied on me for financial support.
They rely on a well for all their water.
2
: to trust or believe (someone or something)
She's someone you can rely on.
I relied heavily upon your advice.
You could always rely on him to disagree.
3
: to expect (something) with confidence : to be certain that (something) will happen or exist
The economy may improve next year, but it's not something you can rely on.
Examples of rely on/upon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Unlike terrestrial weather, scientists who forecast space weather – which includes the aurora – must rely on observations of the 93-million-miles-away sun to make their predictions.
—
Doyle Rice, The Enquirer, 10 May 2024
The pulse of pollination The flora and the fauna of the world rely on pollination, or the art of flower fertilization.
—Gabriela Riccardi, Quartz, 8 May 2024
This is a for-profit enterprise that does not rely on government subsidies, according to McGrory.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2024
Small businesses rely on TikTok to tout their products and video creators have moved to L.A. to be closer to its Culver City office.
—Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2024
Sometimes, an addition to a restaurant’s menu is permanent, something fans can rely on no matter the season or store location; other times, these additions are just seasonal, and their temporariness is part of the appeal.
—Lauren Phillips, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 May 2024
The central concern of number theory is the integers, or positive and negative whole numbers, and functions that rely on them.
—Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2024
Some groups that Democrats rely on in national elections say their minds aren't firmly made up.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 6 May 2024
The state prohibits most towns, cities and villages from imposing a sales tax, which means local public services rely on property taxes for the bulk of their funding.
—Genevieve Redsten, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2024
Doyle Rice, The Enquirer, 10 May 2024
The pulse of pollination The flora and the fauna of the world rely on pollination, or the art of flower fertilization.
—Gabriela Riccardi, Quartz, 8 May 2024
This is a for-profit enterprise that does not rely on government subsidies, according to McGrory.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2024
Small businesses rely on TikTok to tout their products and video creators have moved to L.A. to be closer to its Culver City office.
—Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2024
Sometimes, an addition to a restaurant’s menu is permanent, something fans can rely on no matter the season or store location; other times, these additions are just seasonal, and their temporariness is part of the appeal.
—Lauren Phillips, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 May 2024
The central concern of number theory is the integers, or positive and negative whole numbers, and functions that rely on them.
—Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2024
Some groups that Democrats rely on in national elections say their minds aren't firmly made up.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 6 May 2024
The state prohibits most towns, cities and villages from imposing a sales tax, which means local public services rely on property taxes for the bulk of their funding.
—Genevieve Redsten, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rely on/upon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near rely on/upon
Cite this Entry
“Rely on/upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rely%20on%2Fupon. Accessed 13 May. 2024.
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