Word
reliant
Phoneticsre·liant
US/ɹiˈɫaɪənt/
UK/ɹɪlˈaɪənt/
Definition
adj. needing someone or something else to help you or to work correctly. You use this when you cannot succeed or survive alone.
adj. needing a particular person or thing for support, survival, or successful operation. Often used predicatively after a linking verb.
Examples
“The company is very reliant on its main investor.”
“Many small businesses became heavily reliant on government grants during the economic downturn.”
“The region's economy remains dangerously reliant on a single export, making it vulnerable to sudden shifts in global market prices and trade policies.”
Examples
simple
“The company is very reliant on its main investor.”
contextual
“Many small businesses became heavily reliant on government grants during the economic downturn.”
complex
“The region's economy remains dangerously reliant on a single export, making it vulnerable to sudden shifts in global market prices and trade policies.”
Usage
Typically takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon'.
Pitfall
reliant of
reliant on
Learners often use 'of' by analogy with 'independent of', but 'reliant' always requires 'on' or 'upon'.
Real-World Examples
“It’s here to stay, and I want my students to understand the stakes of becoming too reliant on this technology.” “But the law change has riled some business groups, and officials in Morocco, where the call centre sector is heavily reliant on the French market.” Etymology
From rely + -ant.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/reliant