variants also dependance
1
as in dependency
the quality or state of needing something or someone a baby's total dependence upon his or her parents for every one of life's needs

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2
as in anchor
something or someone to which one looks for support ultimately rice became the chief dependence in that state

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3
as in addiction
a physiological need for certain drugs acquired a dependence on prescription painkillers following back surgery

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dependence For Russia, the threat derives not merely from its former southern colonies breaking out of post-Soviet dependence but also from the potential instability within its own borders should ethnic Turkic regions such as the Tatarstan and Buryatia feel inspired to follow suit. Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025 The problem is the nation’s dependence upon China for the mineral graphite used in batteries powering everything from watches to weapons systems. Rick Barrett, jsonline.com, 7 July 2025 Such arrangements would reduce Ukraine’s dependence on foreign supply chains, fortify its domestic capacity, and foster long-term interoperability with NATO forces. Michael Carpenter, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2025 This dependence curtails privacy, limits use, and reinforces existing gender norms. Trickleup, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for dependence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dependence
Noun
  • The breaks show the hidden dependencies where your business still needs you as a crutch.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • The states with the highest vice dependencies are Mississippi, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee.
    Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • The Defenders: Guardrails And Context Builders Think of these as your knowledge anchors—defensive models optimized for retrieving and validating facts, documents and records.
    Ian Wilding, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • In the painful but necessary 2013 closings, no effort was made to replace shuttered schools that had served as neighborhood anchors or to ameliorate the harmful effects of closings.
    Forrest Claypool, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • Like a gift served to Big Tobacco, eliminating OSH would guarantee more profits at the cost of more addiction, disease and deaths.
    Shalini Singh, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2025
  • The criteria for diagnosing addiction are pretty much the same across different definitions.
    Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 5 July 2025
Noun
  • European governments view Eutelsat as a way to increase sovereign space capabilities and reduce European reliance on U.S. firms for satellite communications and defence.
    Jenni Reid, CNBC, 11 July 2025
  • That reduces reliance on third-party APIs and provides more direct control over how systems are built and managed.
    Fabio Caversan, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley who specializes in digital forensics, said government communication habits need to change.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 13 July 2025
  • After all, everyone has their own unique space, items, routines, and habits.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dependence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dependence. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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