it relies on whether

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it relies on whether" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing a condition or situation that depends on a specific factor or circumstance. Example: "The success of the project relies on whether we can secure the necessary funding."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

At the heart of the lawsuits is a fundamental dispute over what responsibility a company has toward the people it relies on, whether they're employees or contractors, to build and maintain its brand.

The Guardian

Rather, it relies on whether the score of an observed cladogram is higher or lower relative to other possible topologies.

Biology and Philosophy

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

But there are caveats with this number, because it relies on people knowing whether they are employed under a zero-hours contract.

BBC

In the context of guidelines, it relies on judgments of whether a guideline is applicable (i.e. relevant to a local setting in a specific setting) or transferable from one setting to another.

Health Research Policy and Systems

It goes beyond complaints about its transparency to questioning whether the model it relies on is viable and, indeed, whether any organization can fulfill the promise it was making to directly connect people to people.

The New York Times

The previous studies on the de novo reconstruction can be classified based on different aspects, i.e. whether it automatically hypothesizes the compounds that are not identified yet, whether it relies on pre-defined chemical transformation patterns and whether the target (and/or source) compound(s) has/have to be specified, as shown in Table 1.

Bioinformatics

However, it allows countries to decide on things such as co-insurance (ie, the depositor bears some of the risk); whether the scheme has paid-in funds; or whether it relies on the remaining healthy banks to chip in after a failure.

The Economist

A team of researchers, headed by psychologist Morris Moscovitch of the University of Toronto in Mississauga, Ontario, realized the man could help resolve a "long-standing debate" over whether facial recognition is a special system or whether it relies on neural mechanisms that are also involved in object recognition.

Science Magazine

Of course, capturing dynamic art — whether it relies on swirling costumes or a deliberate gunshot — for a two-dimensional screen means something can get lost in translation.

Los Angeles Times

However whether the degree of benefit is similar to that observed in adults and whether it relies on repetition within or across trials has not been determined.

Plosone

However, it is unknown whether metacognition is a global phenomenon, with anterior prefrontal cortex supporting metacognition across domains, or whether it relies on domain-specific neural substrates.

Brain

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it relies on whether" to clearly indicate that a situation or outcome is dependent on a specific condition being met. This construction is useful when outlining potential scenarios and their respective dependencies.

Common error

Avoid unnecessarily complex sentence structures when using "it relies on whether". Ensure the sentence remains clear and concise by placing the conditional clause as close as possible to the main clause.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it relies on whether" functions as a connector to introduce a condition upon which something depends. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in contexts where dependence and conditionality are key.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it relies on whether" is a grammatically sound and widely used construction to express conditionality and dependence. Ludwig AI analysis confirms that it's commonly used to show that a particular outcome depends on specific circumstances. It is frequently found in scientific and news-related contexts, and while the register leans toward neutral to formal, it's acceptable in varied contexts. For simpler constructions, "it depends on whether" may be preferred. Be mindful of clarity when using this phrase to ensure the conditionality is well-understood.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it hinges on whether

Replaces "relies" with "hinges", emphasizing the critical dependence on the condition.

it depends on whether

A more common and straightforward alternative to "it relies on whether".

it is contingent on whether

Replaces "relies" with "is contingent", indicating a conditional relationship.

it is conditional on whether

Similar to "it is contingent on whether", but emphasizes the conditional nature.

it is subject to whether

Highlights that the outcome is determined by the specified condition.

it turns on whether

Similar to "it hinges on whether", suggesting a pivotal point of dependence.

it is determined by whether

Emphasizes that the outcome is directly decided by the condition.

it is a function of whether

Suggests a mathematical or logical relationship where the outcome is a result of the condition.

the outcome depends on whether

Focuses specifically on the result and its dependence on the condition.

success is predicated on whether

Highlights that success is based on the fulfillment of a certain condition.

FAQs

What does "it relies on whether" mean?

The phrase "it relies on whether" means that something is dependent on a particular condition or circumstance. The outcome or success of something is contingent upon the specified condition being met.

How can I use "it relies on whether" in a sentence?

You can use "it relies on whether" to indicate that a result or consequence depends on a particular condition. For example: "The project's success "it relies on whether" we secure funding."

What can I say instead of "it relies on whether"?

Alternatives to "it relies on whether" include "it depends on whether", "it hinges on whether", or "it is contingent on whether". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to use "it depends on whether" or "it relies on whether"?

"It depends on whether" and "it relies on whether" are largely interchangeable, but "it depends on whether" is often seen as more direct and less formal. The choice depends on the desired tone and the specific context. Consider using "it depends on whether" for simpler constructions.