Word
rely
Phoneticsre·ly, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹiˈɫaɪ/
UK/ɹɪlˈaɪ/
Definition
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.
Examples
“I rely on my alarm clock to wake me up.”
“Many small businesses rely on social media to reach new customers without spending a fortune on advertising.”
“Modern infrastructure has become so interconnected that urban populations now rely on stable satellite data for everything from financial transactions to emergency response coordination.”
Examples
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.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “rely” in context.
Adverb
01. exclusively rely
“The island's residents exclusively rely on solar power for their electricity.”
adv + verb
02. heavily rely
“Many local businesses heavily rely on seasonal tourism to survive.”
adv + verb
03. mainly rely
“Students in this course mainly rely on digital textbooks rather than printed ones.”
adv + verb
04. primarily rely
“The charity primarily relies on private donations to fund its research projects.”
adv + verb
05. rely on readers
06. rely heavily
07. approach rely
08. model rely
09. rely on a single
10. rely on others
11. relying solely
12. relying too
Usage
The verb is intransitive and almost always takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon' before the object.
Pitfall
I rely my parents for money
I rely on my parents for money
Rely is an intransitive verb and cannot take a direct object; it must be followed by the preposition 'on'.
Confusables
Depend describes a logical or physical necessity where one thing is controlled by another, while rely emphasizes a personal sense of trust or confidence in someone's support.
RememberDepend is for needs; rely is for trust.
Real-World Examples
“Keron relies on Dani, whose duties include cleaning and dressing him; she relies on him, as her employer.” “Social care is relied on by people of all ages.” Etymology
From Middle English relien, from Old French relier (“fasten, attach, rally, oblige”), from Latin religo (“fasten, bind fast”), from re- + ligo.
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
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/rely