dependable

1 of 2

adjective

de·​pend·​able di-ˈpen-də-bəl 

: capable of being trusted or depended on : reliable

a dependable source of income

a dependable assistant

needs a dependable car for work

dependability

di-ˌpen-də-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

dependableness noun

dependably

di-ˈpen-də-blē 

adverb

dependableness

2 of 2

noun

de·​pend·​able·​ness

plural -es

: dependability

Synonyms of dependable

Adjective

• reliable
• responsible
• safe
• good

Examples of dependable in a Sentence

Adjective

seeking a dependable person to look after their summer home in the off-season

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Cornell remarkably never missed a game in 13 seasons, becoming one of the best and most dependable teammates to ever wear the star. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026

Similar systems could potentially support remote facilities and certain defense applications that require dependable power. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026

Well-liked and dependable, Nate often feels like an afterthought at home having grown up in the shadow of his younger sister Alice. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026

Small modular reactors could go further, supplying dependable power close to military installations, advanced manufacturing facilities, and AI data centers. — Dr. Sarah Kapnick, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

depend + -able

First Known Use

Adjective

1735, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dependable

• spendable
• amendable
• commendable
• expendable
• extendable
• undependable

Kids Definition

dependable

adjective

de·​pend·​able di-ˈpen-də-bəl 

: capable of being depended on : trustworthy, reliable

a dependable car

dependability

-ˌpen-də-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

dependably

-ˈpen-də-blē 

adverb