rely on ideas

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "rely on ideas" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the importance of concepts or thoughts as a basis for actions or decisions. Example: "In our brainstorming sessions, we often rely on ideas that challenge the status quo to foster innovation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

"As a scientist, though, you're supposed to rely on ideas that can be tested and falsified.

The New York Times - Magazine

The scenarios may be bold but they rely on ideas that are reassuringly old.

The Economist

"Their counter-attacks don't rely on ideas, they follow a strict plan," it wrote.

The Guardian - Sport

Some physicists have speculated other ways to construct traversable wormholes, but almost all of them rely on ideas that lack any real evidence.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

If they are philosophers, they will wheel out their rusty intellectual equipment and assert that those who think liberalism relies on ideas and beliefs inherited from religion are guilty of a genetic fallacy.

The Guardian

Relying on ideas of CS, the signal can be recovered from a small number of samples by exploiting its sparsity.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Nevertheless, it is not always easy to tell whether Kant's arguments gain their plausibility only by relying on ideas established by observations of human being and the world they inhabit.

SEP

On Rawls's view, and other similar views, citizens and public officials should generally refrain from relying on ideas or reasons that other reasonable citizens reject, and must always show how the political positions they support can be justified by appeal to shared political values.

SEP

Instead, it relies on ideas, character shadings and charm — the verve of a road-trip movie with the depth of a college seminar.

Los Angeles Times

"Swift's image relies on ideas about innocence and normativity that are directly linked to markers of whiteness without ever having to explicitly name it".

Vice

The people who are representing us are talking about the wrong things, in the wrong ways, relying on ideas no longer relevant.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing academically or professionally, use "rely on ideas" to denote a dependence on established theories or concepts, rather than personal opinions. Ensure that these "ideas" are well-substantiated to enhance the credibility of your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "rely on ideas" as a substitute for critical thinking. Always ensure that the "ideas" you depend on are thoroughly vetted and supported by evidence, rather than accepted passively. Otherwise, your argument may lack credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "rely on ideas" functions primarily as a verb phrase indicating dependence on concepts or thoughts. It describes a process where ideas serve as a foundation for reasoning, decision-making, or action. As Ludwig AI suggests, the phrase is grammatically correct and conveys a clear meaning.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "rely on ideas" is a grammatically correct and usable expression that signifies dependence on concepts or thoughts. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s suitable for describing situations where theoretical frameworks underpin decisions or actions. The analysis reveals that while "rely on ideas" appears most frequently in News & Media and Scientific contexts, suggesting a register neutrality. To enhance writing, it is best to ensure the ideas being relied upon are well-substantiated and critically evaluated to maintain credibility. Related phrases like "depend on concepts" or "trust in thoughts" can offer nuanced alternatives depending on the context. Remember that using "rely on ideas" effectively involves validating the concepts involved, thereby strengthening the overall argument or perspective.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

depend on concepts

Replaces "ideas" with the more formal "concepts" and "rely" with "depend", maintaining similar meaning but with a slightly different tone.

count on concepts

Simple substitution of “rely” with “count”, keeps the rest of the phrase the same, emphasizing expectations about concepts.

trust in thoughts

Substitutes "rely" with "trust" and "ideas" with "thoughts", emphasizing confidence in mental processes.

bank on notions

Uses "bank on" as a more colloquial substitute for "rely on", while "notions" replaces "ideas" to suggest less defined concepts.

lean on theories

Replaces "ideas" with "theories", suggesting a more structured and tested set of ideas, and "rely" with "lean", implying support.

rest on principles

Emphasizes foundational beliefs by using "principles" instead of "ideas", and "rest on" instead of "rely on", implying a base.

hinge on beliefs

Suggests critical dependence by using "hinge on" and replaces "ideas" with "beliefs", focusing on conviction.

draw on inspiration

Changes the focus to the source of the ideas, using "inspiration" and "draw on" to highlight the act of gaining ideas.

build upon insights

Highlights progressive development from initial understandings by using "build upon insights".

draw strength from concepts

Focuses on the empowering aspect of ideas by using "draw strength from" and specifies “concepts”.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "rely on ideas" in a sentence?

Use "rely on ideas" to indicate a dependence on concepts or theories for decision-making or understanding. For example, "The research team had to "rely on ideas" from previous studies to formulate their hypothesis."

What are some alternatives to "rely on ideas" that I can use in my writing?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "depend on concepts", "trust in thoughts", or "bank on notions" to express a similar meaning.

Is it better to "rely on ideas" or "rely on facts"?

Whether to "rely on ideas" or "rely on facts" depends on the situation. Facts provide concrete evidence, while ideas offer theoretical frameworks. Ideally, a balanced approach that integrates both is most effective.

When is it inappropriate to "rely on ideas"?

It's inappropriate to "rely on ideas" without critical evaluation, especially when making decisions that require empirical evidence or when the ideas are not well-supported by existing knowledge. Blind faith in unverified ideas can lead to flawed conclusions.