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Glite Dictionary
overreliant

overreliant

5.6
Trusting one person or thing too much
  • adjective
  • /ˌoʊvərɪˈlaɪənt/
translation icon : sobredependiente
  • His overreliant attitude towards his smartphone started affecting his face-to-face relationships.
  • become overreliant

Examples

  • Many teenagers become overreliant on social media for validation, which can affect their self-esteem.

  • These women with alcoholic parents may have become overreliant on avoidant coping, having used it routinely to protect themselves from painful family situations; such overreliance may have been effective (Pearlin & Schooler, 1978).

    Academic text (2007)

  • She learned to cook so she wouldn't be overreliant on takeout meals during the busy work week.

Synonyms

codependent
vsoverreliant
  • Specialized
6 7.3

Relying too much on another person in a relationship in an unhealthy way

is general excess dependence not limited to personal or relationship situations
overdependent
vsoverreliant
1 4.7

Needing help from other people or things too much

is broader meaning excessive reliance on anything not only for support

Antonyms

independent
984 2.3

Not controlled by others

self-reliant
13 4.5

Able to act and decide without help from others

How Dependent

overreliant
5.6
dependent
182 2.8
reliant
30 4.0
independent
984 2.3

Surface Forms

overreliant positive

Morphology

overreliant = reliant (transparent) = over + rely + ant

'over-' added to the adjective 'reliant' creates a common intensifying meaning 'excessively dependent', which is straightforward for learners.

Etymology

The word overreliant combines over- ('too much') and rely ('depend on'), the same root as reliable. So an overreliant person is someone who depends too much on a person or thing.