depend

verb

de·​pend di-ˈpend How to pronounce depend (audio)
depended; depending; depends

intransitive verb

1
: to be determined, based, or contingent (see contingent entry 1 sense 1)
life depends on food
the value of Y depends on X
2
: to be pending or undecided
matters of greatest moment were dependingJohn Milton
3
a
: to place reliance or trust
you can depend on me
b
: to be dependent especially for financial support
Her family depends on her paycheck.
still depends on his parents
4
: to hang down
a star was depending from his neckArnold Bennett

Examples of depend in a Sentence

whether or not we play baseball will depend on how much rain we get I know I can always depend on you for help when I really need it.
Recent Examples on the Web For an autocratic regime such as Putin’s, the President’s strength depends on everyone’s belief in that strength. Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2024 Feed Additives Innovative feed additives, such as red seaweed, could reduce livestock methane emissions by 26% to 98%, depending on the type of additive and how it is administered. Paul Winters, Discover Magazine, 16 Mar. 2024 People can either shower in the morning or at night, experts said, depending on their schedules and preferences. Korin Miller, Health, 16 Mar. 2024 But the per-unit fee will change depending on how many warehouses Amazon makes available to a seller and where those warehouses are located. Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024 Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies In most recipes, oatmeal cookies depend on all-purpose flour to provide enough structure to hold the dough together. Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appétit, 15 Mar. 2024 More than 60% of India's 1.4 billion people depend on farming for their livelihoods. Rishi Lekhi and Ashok Sharma, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 Right now, the relentless growth of settlements in the West Bank has created a one-state reality on the ground, although one in which people have very different rights and freedoms depending on their ethnic and religious background. Michelle Goldberg, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 This will depend on personal preference, comfort, and your body. Maya Polton, Parents, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'depend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French dependre, modification of Latin dependēre, from de- + pendēre to hang — more at pendant

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of depend was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near depend

Cite this Entry

“Depend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depend. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

depend

verb
de·​pend di-ˈpend How to pronounce depend (audio)
1
: to be determined by or based on
success of the picnic will depend on the weather
2
: trust entry 2 sense 1a, rely
a person you can depend on
3
: to rely for support
children depend on their parents
4
: to hang down
a vine depending from a tree
Etymology

Middle English dependen "to exist or result from some other condition," from early French dependre (same meaning), derived from Latin dependēre "to hang down, hang from," from de- "from, down" and pendēre "to hang" — related to pendulum, perpendicular

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