rely largely on

USAGE SUMMARY

"rely largely on" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You use it when you need to express the idea of relying heavily on something or someone for support. For example, "We rely largely on our loyal customers to ensure our business's success."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

"My investigations rely largely on a sort of honours system.

The Guardian - Sport

Single women without children rely largely on their own earnings.

The New York Times

estimates rely largely on confirmed cases with adjustments for underreporting.

The New York Times - Health

The doctors at Imperial College rely largely on Plutarch, born almost 100 years after Caesar's death.

The Guardian

Officials said these efforts would rely largely on volunteers and private donations.

The New York Times

Those hungry to know more must rely largely on novels, films and speculative nonfiction.

The New York Times

Television stations had to rely largely on videotape furnished by the federal emergency management people.

The New York Times

But it appears to rely largely on data shared with American experts by the Japanese.

The New York Times

Those whose mother tongue is Russian rely largely on news from Russian state media.

The Economist

At that early stage companies rely largely on internal financing and bank loans.

The Economist

The Tories would rely largely on spending cuts; Labour or the Liberal Democrats would favor tax increases.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "rely largely on", ensure that the subject's dependence is substantial but not necessarily absolute. This conveys a nuanced level of reliance that is less forceful than complete dependence.

Common error

Avoid using "rely largely on" when the subject is entirely dependent on something. In such cases, phrases like "completely dependent on" or "solely rely on" are more accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "rely largely on" functions as a verb phrase, indicating dependence or reliance on something as a primary, but not exclusive, source of support. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable form.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "rely largely on" is a versatile phrase used to express a significant dependence on something without implying complete exclusivity. Ludwig AI validates its correctness, noting its utility in conveying a nuanced reliance. Its prevalence across diverse contexts—particularly in news, science, and business—underscores its broad applicability. Remember to use it when you want to emphasize a primary source of support, but acknowledge that other contributing factors may exist.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

depend heavily on

Emphasizes the extent of dependence.

lean heavily on

Suggests a strong reliance for support.

be mainly dependent on

Highlights the condition of being dependent.

primarily depend on

Indicates the main source of reliance.

be greatly reliant on

Stresses the degree of reliance.

count heavily on

Highlights the expectation of support.

rest substantially on

Implies a foundation of reliance.

hinge significantly on

Suggests that something is contingent on another.

draw significantly from

Emphasizes the extraction of resources or support.

place considerable reliance on

Highlights the act of placing reliance.

FAQs

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

Use "rely largely on" to indicate a significant, but not exclusive, dependence on something. For instance, "The company "relies largely on" word-of-mouth advertising."

What are some alternatives to "rely largely on"?

Alternatives include phrases like "depend heavily on", "lean heavily on", or "primarily depend on" to express similar levels of dependence.

Is it more formal to say "depend largely on" or "rely largely on"?

"Rely" and "depend" are often interchangeable, but "depend largely on" might sound slightly more formal in certain contexts. Both are generally acceptable in professional and academic writing.

What is the difference between "rely largely on" and "rely solely on"?

"Rely largely on" implies that there are other sources of support, while "rely solely on" means there are no other sources; the dependence is exclusive.