interdependent

adjective

in·​ter·​de·​pen·​dent ˌin-tər-di-ˈpen-dənt How to pronounce interdependent (audio)
: dependent upon one another : mutually dependent
interdependent statistical variables
… the interdependent gyrations of double suns …James Joyce
… the interrelationships between social groupings were reciprocal and interdependent.Howard P. Chudacoff
In an interdependent world, every nation is dependent upon every other.Michael Novak
interdependently adverb
Atlantis is to have its own economic activities, but the city is to function interdependently with other centers in the greater Cape Town region. John Western

Examples of interdependent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The present order involves more players than the Cold War, and the two largest powers, the United States and China, have an interdependent economic relationship, whereas the Soviet Union and its allies were largely siloed from Western economic activity. Elizabeth N. Saunders, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Workplaces are complex systems: interdependent environments that capitalize on invisible connections between people, ideas and expertise. Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 Fighting in Europe and the Middle East has revealed the downsides of interdependent economies. Daniel Foster, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023 In her feature address, Prime Minister Mottley said that politics is not about retaining power for a select few but rather about making people’s lives easier and creating great citizens with Bajan roots because the world is interdependent. Melissa Noel, Essence, 29 Nov. 2023 Ultimately, López envisions an interdependent transportation network of bikes, cars, buses, greenways and the metro linking up with a new regional rail system that would use the pathways of tracks abandoned when Bogotá ditched trains for cars roughly three-quarters of a century ago. Michael Kimmelman, New York Times, 7 Dec. 2023 Managers are primarily responsible for making sure the work gets done, but their role in today’s highly collaborative and interdependent workplaces goes far beyond that. Bruce Tulgan, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 McNamara says the results of the survey underscore the pervasiveness of poor social health, which includes the interdependent relationships between social isolation, transportation access, financial security, and health outcomes. Alexa Mikhail, Fortune Well, 7 Nov. 2023 According to this conception, power in an interdependent relationship flows to the less dependent actor. Joshua Shifrinson, Foreign Affairs, 17 Oct. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of interdependent was in 1838

Dictionary Entries Near interdependent

Cite this Entry

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

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