primarily rely on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "primarily rely on" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English.
It means that something or someone is mainly dependent on a particular factor or source. Example: As a small business owner, I primarily rely on social media marketing to promote my products.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Only 20percentt said they expected Social Security to be their main source of retirement income, while 29percentt cited an employer-sponsored pension plan as a primary source, and 45percentt said they would primarily rely on savings.

The New York Times

Nevertheless, governance systems that primarily rely on personal empathy and imagination are fundamentally unsatisfactory.

The Guardian

Hemiparasites have at least some ability to photosynthesize; they primarily rely on their hosts for water and mineral nutrients.

Encyclopedia Britannica

This critical bite may not please the more established magazines in the field, since the curatorial choices primarily rely on alternative views and not the obvious institutional names.

The New York Times - Magazine

She said that the department is now preparing a research paper that will explore all different kinds of teacher assessments — including assessments that don't primarily rely on testing.

The New York Times

Such patients would primarily rely on the ambulance personnel for their various medical needs [19].

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

Therefore, preferably the localization should primarily rely on proprioception and motion models.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

However, the existing studies primarily rely on interview data and simple bivariate statistics.

Energy Policy

Even though innovation and development of a country primarily rely on economic indicators, the political system is a critical factor.

Triple Helix

Current treatment guidelines for persistent disease primarily rely on findings from four randomized, controlled trials (RCTs), strongly advising against retreatment.

Contemporary Clinical Trials

Current management practices primarily rely on similar stope reconciliation data and the intuition of expert mining engineers.

Applied Soft Computing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "primarily rely on", ensure that the context clearly indicates the secondary or less significant sources of support or dependence, to avoid overstating the reliance on the primary source.

Common error

Avoid using "primarily rely on" when the dependence is near exclusive. In such cases, "exclusively rely on" or "solely depend on" might be more accurate. "Primarily" indicates a main, but not necessarily exclusive, reliance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "primarily rely on" functions as a verb phrase indicating the main source of dependence or support. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent use across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

27%

Formal & Business

29%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "primarily rely on" is a versatile and grammatically sound way to express the main source of dependence. According to Ludwig AI, it is frequently used across diverse fields, including science, news, and business. While it is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, be mindful of the nuance that "primarily" suggests a main, but not exclusive, dependence. Alternatives such as "mainly depend on" or "chiefly depend on" can be used for variety. Remember that the preposition "on" is essential, and avoid using "in" in its place.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Mainly depend on

Focus shifts to the action of depending rather than relying, slightly less formal.

Chiefly depend on

Replaces "primarily" with "chiefly", emphasizing the principal dependence.

Principally depend on

Uses "principally" instead of "primarily", adding a slightly more formal tone.

Largely hinge on

Emphasizes the idea of something being contingent or dependent on something else.

Heavily lean on

Expresses a strong dependence, suggesting significant weight or emphasis on the source of reliance.

Fundamentally rest on

Indicates a foundational dependency, suggesting that something is impossible without the other.

Substantially bank on

Implies a strong confidence or expectation that something will happen or be provided.

Predominantly count on

Similar to depend on, but with the added connotation of trust or expectation.

Essentially turn to

Highlights the act of seeking help or support as the core aspect of reliance.

Frequently resort to

Indicates that something is often used as a solution or source of help, especially when other options are limited.

FAQs

How can I use "primarily rely on" in a sentence?

You can use "primarily rely on" to indicate the main source of support or dependence. For example, "The company "primarily relies on" online advertising to generate leads."

What phrases are similar to "primarily rely on"?

Similar phrases include "mainly depend on", "chiefly depend on", and "principally depend on", which all express the concept of primary dependence.

Is it correct to say "primarily rely in" instead of "primarily rely on"?

No, the correct preposition to use with "primarily rely" is "on". "Primarily rely in" is grammatically incorrect.

What's the difference between "primarily rely on" and "secondarily rely on"?

"Primarily rely on" indicates the main source of reliance, while "secondarily rely on" indicates a less important or supplementary source. The two phrases describe different levels of dependence.