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rely

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ɹiˈɫaɪ// UK //ɹɪlˈaɪ// re·ly Academic General-service

v. to need or trust someone or something to help you. You use this when you cannot do something alone and must depend on another person or tool.

v. to depend on someone or something with full trust or confidence; to be dependent on for support or success. Intransitive — requires a prepositional complement to function.


SIMPLE

I rely on my alarm clock to wake me up.

CONTEXTUAL

Many small businesses rely on social media to reach new customers without spending a fortune on advertising.

COMPLEX

Modern infrastructure has become so interconnected that urban populations now rely on stable satellite data for everything from financial transactions to emergency response coordination.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English relien, from Old French relier (“fasten, attach, rally, oblige”), from Latin religo (“fasten, bind fast”), from re- + ligo.

Usage

The verb is intransitive and almost always takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon' before the object.

Pitfall

I rely my parents for moneyI rely on my parents for moneyRely is an intransitive verb and cannot take a direct object; it must be followed by the preposition 'on'.

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