rely
gb/ɹɪlˈaɪ/ us/ɹɪlˈaɪ/
B1
English
~ 1800
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
depend on someone or something
To need someone or something and trust them to help or do what is expected.
Usage pattern:
to rely on [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'rely' with 'relay'; 'rely' means to depend, while 'relay' means to pass something along.
Synonyms
depend (A close synonym; often interchangeable, though 'depend' can sound slightly more neutral in some contexts.)
|
count on (Slightly more informal; emphasizes personal trust.)
Antonyms
distrust (Opposite in the sense of not trusting or depending on someone/something.)
|
avoid (Opposite in the sense of deliberately not depending on someone/something.)
Collocations
rely heavily
|rely entirely
|rely solely
|rely too much
|rely on support
Themes
daily life
|relationships
|trust
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I rely on my friends for advice.
- Many small businesses rely on local customers.
- You can rely on her to keep a secret.
- Farmers rely on the weather for good crops.
- We rely heavily on technology in our daily lives.
Learner examples
- I rely on my sister to help me.
- We rely on the bus to get to school.
- They rely on the shop for food.
- I rely on my phone for the time.
- He relies on his teacher for answers.
Grammar
Dictionary form
rely
IPA
GB/ɹɪlˈaɪ/
US/ɹɪlˈaɪ/
Syllables & stress
rely (1 syllable)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: rely
- 3rd Person Singular: relies
- Present Participle: relying
- Past: relied
Word family
Forms
relies
verb
relying
verb
relied
verb
Core family
Related words
reliant
adjective
reliably
adverb B2
Negative and opposite forms
unreliable
adjective B2
unreliability
noun
Expressions
rely on
1/ɹɪlˈaɪ ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
depend on for help or results
To need and trust someone or something to do what you expect.
Examples
- You can always rely on him to be honest.
- We rely on public transport to get to work.
rely upon
1/ɹɪlˈaɪ əpˈɑn/
fixed phrase
formal
formal way to say 'rely on'
A formal way to say you need and trust someone or something to do what you expect.
Examples
- The committee will rely upon the findings of the report.
- Citizens must be able to rely upon the justice system.