completely reliant on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "completely reliant on" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express total dependence on someone or something for support, resources, or functionality. Example: "The project was completely reliant on the funding provided by the investors to succeed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

"Eddie and I were completely reliant on each other, as Jane and Stephen became one person in many ways," she says.

The Guardian - Film

These obligate parasites do not produce their own workers, and are completely reliant on the workers of the host to complete their life cycle.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

"But it's worrying for the British economy isn't it, that at some point in the future we will have no one coming into the industry and will be completely reliant on others".

The Guardian - Business

An argument one often hears is that we are almost completely reliant on non-renewable energy to run our cities and towns, homes, businesses, and infrastructure: we can't live without it, at least not now.

Huffington Post

"Here we are completely reliant on foreigners," he said.

The Guardian

Unlike Germany, Britain was almost completely reliant on the sea-lanes for sustenance.

The New Yorker

No world religion is more completely reliant on the veracity of its historical claims than Christianity.

The Guardian - Books

Morocco, until now completely reliant on imports, pins high hopes on offshore exploration that is just getting under way.

The Economist

You'll find that you're the second bite of the cherry, completely reliant on them failing to get into another institution.

The Guardian

The internally displaced are completely reliant on others, but host communities are themselves suffering from a lack of food, and diseases are breaking out".

The Guardian

One man she worked for gave her a room in his house but controlled her until she was completely reliant on him.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "completely reliant on", ensure the context clearly identifies what is being relied upon and the consequences of that reliance. For instance, "The success of the project is completely reliant on securing additional funding."

Common error

Avoid using "completely reliant on" when the dependence is partial or could be mitigated by other factors. Overstating the reliance can weaken your argument. For example, instead of saying "The company is completely reliant on this one client", consider "The company is heavily reliant on this one client" if that's more accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "completely reliant on" functions as an adjective phrase followed by a preposition, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe a state of total dependence. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and usable in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Science

24%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "completely reliant on" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression signifying total dependence. As shown by Ludwig, it appears commonly in News & Media and Science contexts. While "completely reliant on" is versatile, it's important to consider the degree of dependence and avoid overstatement, to maintain accuracy and credibility in your writing. Related phrases such as "totally dependent on" can be used as alternatives. The phrase can be used in both neutral and formal registers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

totally dependent on

Emphasizes the totality of dependence, similar to "completely reliant on".

absolutely dependent on

Stresses the absolute necessity of something for support or existence.

fully dependent on

Indicates a state of complete dependence, mirroring the meaning of "completely reliant on".

wholly reliant on

Uses 'wholly' as a synonym for 'completely', indicating total reliance.

entirely contingent on

Highlights the conditional aspect of reliance, where something is subject to chance or the fulfillment of a condition.

exclusively dependent on

Focuses on the exclusive nature of the dependence, implying no other sources are available.

solely dependent on

Similar to 'exclusively dependent', emphasizing that only one thing is relied upon.

at the mercy of

Implies a vulnerable dependence, where the subject is exposed to potential negative consequences.

beholden to

Suggests a sense of obligation or indebtedness due to reliance.

at the hands of

Highlights control of the object depended on.

FAQs

What does "completely reliant on" mean?

The phrase "completely reliant on" means that something or someone is entirely dependent on a particular thing or person for support, resources, or existence. It signifies a total dependence.

What can I say instead of "completely reliant on"?

You can use alternatives like "totally dependent on", "entirely contingent on", or "absolutely dependent on" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "completely dependent on" instead of "completely reliant on"?

Yes, "completely dependent on" is a perfectly acceptable and often interchangeable alternative to "completely reliant on". Both phrases convey a similar meaning of total dependence.

When is it appropriate to use "completely reliant on"?

Use "completely reliant on" when you want to emphasize that something is entirely dependent on something else, leaving no room for alternative support or resources. For example, "The town's economy is completely reliant on the tourism industry."