depend on/upon

phrasal verb

depended on/upon; depending on/upon; depends on/upon

1

: to be determined or decided by (something)

We're not sure if we'll have the picnic. It depends on the weather.

"Will you go back to college?" "I don't know. It depends on whether or not I can afford it."

The stamp's value depends on how rare it is.

Depending upon your child's weight and height, she or he may have to sit in the back seat of the car.

2

: to need (someone or something) for support, help, etc.

He no longer depends on his parents for money.

They depend heavily/largely/solely/entirely on her income to pay the bills.

3

: to be sure about (someone or something) : to trust (someone or something)

The manufacturer promises quality you can depend on.

She will be remembered as a woman upon whom people could depend.

—sometimes used humorously

I can always depend on it to rain on days when I forget my umbrella.

Examples of depend on/upon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Whether the economy will bounce back will depend on what consumers and firms do. —Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025

The success of Meta’s strategy will depend on its ability to deliver consistent model improvements while building enterprise trust in its commercial offerings. —Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025

Soon, yes – when will depend on the plant’s temperature tolerances, since some indoor plants handle cool nights better than others. —Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2025

Expanding the program would depend on funding approval by the legislature. —Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2025