dependency

noun

de·​pen·​den·​cy di-ˈpen-dən(t)-sē 

plural dependencies

1

: dependence sense 1

2

: something that is dependent on something else

especially : a territorial unit under the jurisdiction of a nation but not formally annexed by it

3

: a building (such as a stable) that is an adjunct to a main dwelling

Synonyms of dependency

• dependence
• reliance

Examples of dependency in a Sentence

the country's dependency on foreign oil

a dependency on foreign oil

Recent Examples on the Web

Just a few decades ago, these countries had much smaller elderly populations compared to Europe and thus had lower old-age dependency ratios. — Daron Acemoglu, Time, 7 Nov. 2026

Versant has articulated a strategy of getting half of its revenue from digital and direct-to-consumer businesses so as to reduce its dependency on the traditional cable networks at the core of its operations. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026

Sales, engineering and production can all do their jobs correctly while nobody owns the dependencies between the customer’s budget and your roadmap. — Masha Khmel, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

depend(ent) entry 1 + -ency

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dependency

• ascendancy
• ascendency
• independency
• interdependency
• superintendency
• pendency
• tendency

Kids Definition

dependency

noun

de·​pend·​en·​cy

di-ˈpen-dən-sē

plural dependencies

1

: dependence sense 1

2

: a territory under the authority of a nation but not formally a part of it

Medical Definition

dependency

noun

de·​pen·​den·​cy -dən-sē 

plural dependencies

: dependence