rely on/upon

phrasal verb

relied on/upon; relying on/upon; relies on/upon

1

: to need (someone or something) for support, help, etc. : to depend on (someone or something)

My mother relied on me for financial support.

They rely on a well for all their water.

2

: to trust or believe (someone or something)

She's someone you can rely on.

I relied heavily upon your advice.

You could always rely on him to disagree.

3

: to expect (something) with confidence : to be certain that (something) will happen or exist

The economy may improve next year, but it's not something you can rely on.

Examples of rely on/upon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Merchan could instead rely on options like probation, home confinement or solely a fine. —Stefan Becket, CBS News, 31 May 2024

Given how Trump had dodged any real consequences for far worse, predictions of Trump’s downfall may rely on a very misguided understanding of the id of the American electorate. —Philip Elliott, TIME, 30 May 2024