depend

verb

de·​pend di-ˈpend How to pronounce depend (audio)
depended; depending; depends

intransitive verb

1
: to be determined, based, or contingent (see contingent entry 1 sense 1)
life depends on food
the value of Y depends on X
2
: to be pending or undecided
matters of greatest moment were dependingJohn Milton
3
a
: to place reliance or trust
you can depend on me
b
: to be dependent especially for financial support
Her family depends on her paycheck.
still depends on his parents
4
: to hang down
a star was depending from his neckArnold Bennett

Examples of depend in a Sentence

whether or not we play baseball will depend on how much rain we get I know I can always depend on you for help when I really need it.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Trump, Biden allies divided over GDP report 'Pandemic-like shortages' if nothing changes Whether U.S. consumers will face shortages depends largely on what happens over the next few weeks. Rachel Barber, USA Today, 1 May 2025 The process of changing plans is often daunting and success depends on many factors, some beyond your control. Diane Omdahl, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025 Whether the economy will bounce back will depend on what consumers and firms do. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025 Turns out the correct answer depends on a few different factors. Caroline Tien, SELF, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for depend

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French dependre, modification of Latin dependēre, from de- + pendēre to hang — more at pendant

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of depend was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Depend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depend. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

depend

verb
de·​pend di-ˈpend How to pronounce depend (audio)
1
: to be determined by or based on
success of the picnic will depend on the weather
2
: trust entry 2 sense 1a, rely
a person you can depend on
3
: to rely for support
children depend on their parents
4
: to hang down
a vine depending from a tree
Etymology

Middle English dependen "to exist or result from some other condition," from early French dependre (same meaning), derived from Latin dependēre "to hang down, hang from," from de- "from, down" and pendēre "to hang" — related to pendulum, perpendicular

More from Merriam-Webster on depend

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!