reliance
gb/ɹɪlˈaɪəns/ us/ɹɪlˈaɪəns/
B2
English
~ 8900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
state
1
dependence on someone or something
A situation where you need and use someone or something in order to live, work, or succeed.
Usage pattern:
reliance on [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners often forget the preposition and say *reliance to* or *reliance of* instead of the correct *reliance on*. Another common error is using the adjective form *reliant* where the noun is needed, e.g. *our reliant on oil* instead of *our reliance on oil*.
Synonyms
dependence (Very close in meaning; often slightly more general and used in both everyday and medical contexts.)
|
reliant on (Adjectival form describing the person or thing that depends on something else, rather than the state itself.)
|
need (More basic and emotional; less formal and less specific about ongoing support.)
Antonyms
independence (The state of not needing support from others, especially in money, work, or daily life.)
|
self-sufficiency (Focuses on being able to provide everything for yourself without help from outside sources.)
Collocations
reliance on technology
|heavy reliance on
|growing reliance on
|increased reliance on
|economic reliance on
|over-reliance on
Themes
relationships
|work
|society
|business
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- Our growing reliance on technology makes internet outages very disruptive.
- The village has a dangerous reliance on a single water source.
- Many parents worry about teenagers’ reliance on social media for entertainment.
- The company’s heavy reliance on one major client puts it at financial risk.
- Government policies aim to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Learner examples
- Her family has a strong reliance on her salary.
- The town has a big reliance on farming.
- There is too much reliance on cars in this city.
- We must cut our reliance on cheap plastic bags.
- His reliance on his parents makes it hard for him to live alone.
Noun
C1
state
2
trust or confidence in reliability
When you trust someone or something to be correct or to do what is expected.
Usage pattern:
reliance on [someone/something] for [information/support]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes translate directly from their language and say *reliance in* or *reliance to* when they mean trust; in English this sense still normally uses *reliance on*: *reliance on his advice*, *reliance on these figures*.
Synonyms
trust (Slightly more emotional and everyday; does not always imply using something as a basis for decisions.)
|
confidence (Often used in formal or professional contexts when judging how reliable a person, system, or information is.)
|
faith (More emotional or sometimes religious; suggests strong belief even without complete proof.)
Antonyms
mistrust (A general feeling that someone or something is not reliable or honest.)
|
skepticism (An attitude of doubt and questioning, especially about information or claims.)
Collocations
reliance on expert advice
|reliance on witness testimony
|blind reliance on
|reliance on outdated data
|reliance on memory
|reliance on trust
Themes
emotions
|law
|decision-making
|core_vocabulary
|relationships
Examples
- The court questioned the jury’s reliance on the witness’s changing story.
- Our reliance on outdated data led to several bad business decisions.
- Investors’ reliance on the CEO’s promises turned out to be misplaced.
- Teachers worry about students’ blind reliance on internet search results.
- The study’s conclusions depend on heavy reliance on self-reported information.
Learner examples
- The doctor warned us about strong reliance on online health advice.
- His reliance on her judgment shows how much he trusts her.
- There is too much reliance on one report in this plan.
- Blind reliance on one news source can be dangerous.
- The team’s reliance on old numbers was a mistake.
Noun
technical
C1
action
3
legal reliance on a promise
In legal language, when someone changes what they do because they believe a promise or statement, especially if this later harms them.
Usage pattern:
reliance on [a promise/representation]
Common mistake:
Learners may assume this legal use is the same as everyday dependence, but in law *reliance* usually means a party acted or did not act because they believed a promise or statement, and this change of position is central to the legal claim.
Synonyms
detrimental reliance (More specific legal term highlighting that the reliance caused some kind of harm or loss.)
|
reliance interest (Technical legal phrase referring to compensation for losses caused by relying on a promise.)
Antonyms
non-reliance (Used in legal disclaimers to show that a party did not base its actions on a particular statement or promise.)
Collocations
detrimental reliance
|reasonable reliance
|justifiable reliance
|reliance on a misrepresentation
|induced reliance
|reliance damages
Themes
law
|business
|contracts
Examples
- The plaintiff claimed damages based on her reasonable reliance on the contractor’s assurances.
- The court found that there was no detrimental reliance because the company had not changed its position.
- A disclaimer of reliance can limit liability by stating that the buyer did not rely on any extra promises.
- The doctrine protects parties whose reliance on a clear promise leads them to suffer a financial loss.
- To prove fraud, the claimant must show reliance on the false representation.
Learner examples
- In this case, the judge talks about the buyer’s reliance on the seller’s promise.
- The lawyer says there is no reliance because the man did not change his actions.
- They ask for money for their reliance on the agreement.
- The contract has a clause about reliance on information in the report.
- Law students learn that reliance is important in many contract cases.
Grammar
Dictionary form
reliance
IPA
GB/ɹɪlˈaɪəns/
US/ɹɪlˈaɪəns/
Syllables & stress
re - li - ance (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (li)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: reliance
- Plural: reliance
Word family
Core family
Related words
reliant
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
Expressions
over-reliance on
1/ˈoʊvɚ ɹɪlˈaɪəns ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
depending too much on something
A situation where someone uses or needs something too much, so it becomes a problem.
Examples
- Experts warn of over-reliance on antibiotics in modern medicine.
- The over-reliance on standardized tests has changed how teachers teach.
place reliance on
1/plˈeɪs ɹɪlˈaɪəns ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
formal
formally depend on something
To formally depend on something, especially information, advice, or evidence, when you decide or judge something.
Examples
- The board placed too much reliance on optimistic sales forecasts.
- Courts are often reluctant to place reliance on uncorroborated testimony.
- We should not place blind reliance on these early survey results.
reliance on
1/ɹɪlˈaɪəns ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
depending on someone or something
Used to say that someone or something is needed for help, support, or success.
Examples
- Their heavy reliance on foreign workers has become a political issue.
- There is growing reliance on online banking in rural areas.
- The film industry’s reliance on big franchises worries some critics.
self-reliance
1/sˈɛlf ɹɪlˈaɪəns/
fixed phrase
dependence on one’s own abilities
The ability to take care of yourself and solve your own problems without help from others.
Examples
- Traveling alone for a year taught her self-reliance.
- Parents try to encourage self-reliance in their children.
- The training program aims to build confidence and self-reliance.