overreliance

noun

over·​re·​li·​ance ˌō-vər-ri-ˈlī-ən(t)s How to pronounce overreliance (audio)
: the act or state of relying on something or someone too much : excessive reliance
One of my top priorities next year is to have an energy policy that begins to address all facets of our overreliance on fossil fuels.Barack Obama
I shy away from prescribing sleeping pills … to avoid overreliance on them.Andrew Weil

Examples of overreliance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
If there’s no sound underlying strategy and expertise, and no proper oversight, overreliance on AI can produce poor results. Dan Kahn, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 That, in turn, led to an overreliance on other teams to take away points and finish the job the Titans couldn’t. Jen Karmarkar, Oc Register, 11 Apr. 2025 Despite the show’s overreliance on whiz-bang technology, Snook is never anything less than jaw-dropping. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025 Curiosity also plays a role in reducing overreliance on outputs. Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overreliance

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overreliance was in 1833

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Cite this Entry

“Overreliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overreliance. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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