DEPENDENCE Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

dependence

noun

di-ˈpen-dən(t)s

variants also dependance

Definition of dependence

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in reliance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in addiction

a physiological need for certain drugs acquired a dependence on prescription painkillers following back surgery

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 At Thursday’s Calgary rally, the crowd erupted in its loudest applause when Carney spoke about reducing Canada’s economic dependence on the United States. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 Analysts said North Korea, despite the potential economic boost from active trade, remains cautious of greater dependence on China. — Reuters, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026 Indexes were stronger in Europe, which has less of a dependence on tech stocks. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Up front, a dependence on 23-year-old Benjamin Sesko has been a long-running gripe among United supporters. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dependence

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dependence

Noun

The story also touches on the complex relationships between men, namely the dynamics of dominance, dependency, and betrayal.

— Maria Papadouris, JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2026
What are those more nuanced conversations about drug dependency going to look like going forward?

— Max Gao, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of dependency

Noun

Kyiv's reliance on drones has made Starlink and Starshield nearly indispensable to its arsenal.

— Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Thus, no matter what really transpired with Starlink's suspension of service to Ukraine, Musk may now face customers diversifying away from total reliance on SpaceX as his ultimate reckoning.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of reliance

Noun

Some recent studies have highlighted addiction problems, and some organizations have raised alarm bells that the rise in youth gambling is a public health crisis, which has motivated policymakers to propose legislation to regulate sports betting.

— Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
In March, a Los Angeles jury ordered Meta and Google to pay $6 million in damages to a 20-year-old plaintiff in a bellwether social media addiction trial.

— Chad de Guzman, Time, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of addiction

Noun

Consistent with their hypothesis, the secretion signal helps transfer the enzyme out of the cell, while the lipid anchor holds it near the cell surface.

— Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
But despite this, they were still conceived of as being located within the mounds themselves, real-world anchors for these strange, marvelous realms.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of anchor

Noun

Zelenskyy said that Kyiv was investigating sudden speed restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starshield, the military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, which is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations and communication.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Network is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations Starshield is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations.

— Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of backbone

Noun

Innovation will always be an important pillar of the award, said Christiane Dolva, the philanthropic organization’s head of innovation, research and demonstration.

— Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
Dedicated to the god Amun, it is known for its beautiful pillars and intricate carvings.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of pillar

Noun

The 62-year-old coach then had another Steelers' staffer help him off the field by serving as a bit of a human crutch.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Yes, instantly — season 52 has started, and the celeb casting crutch is in full effect.

— Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of crutch

Noun

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s launch of the spacecraft Tuesday on a new Japanese mainstay H-3 rocket comes as the United States, China and others consider sending astronauts to Mars.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Enter Katie Zacharia, a 42-year-old political commentator who was a mainstay on Fox News and who has repeatedly referred to herself as a lawyer, despite there reportedly being no evidence of her passing the bar in the United States.

— José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026