dependency

noun

de·​pen·​den·​cy di-ˈpen-dən(t)-sē 

plural dependencies

1

: dependence sense 1

2

: something that is dependent on something else

especially : a territorial unit under the jurisdiction of a nation but not formally annexed by it

3

: a building (such as a stable) that is an adjunct to a main dwelling

Synonyms

• dependence
• dependance
• reliance

Examples of dependency in a Sentence

the country's dependency on foreign oil

a dependency on foreign oil

Recent Examples on the Web

The unit is eco-friendly and energy-efficient, helping to reduce both power usage and chemical dependency. —Jason Phillips, USA Today, 17 May 2025

The dependency problem arises in any group with falling population, regardless of government programs. —Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

Ventura said that, over time, the romance soured into emotional dependency and psychological manipulation. —Amanda Castro joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025

Stream dependency mishandling, where one aspect of a program waits for the output of another aspect, can lead to malicious data injection, race conditions and crashes, and other issues. —Kevin Purdy, ArsTechnica, 7 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dependency

• ascendancy
• ascendency
• independency
• interdependency
• superintendency
• pendency
• tendency

Kids Definition

dependency

noun

de·​pend·​en·​cy

di-ˈpen-dən-sē

plural dependencies

1

: dependence sense 1

2

: a territory under the authority of a nation but not formally a part of it

Medical Definition

dependency

noun

de·​pen·​den·​cy -dən-sē 

plural dependencies

: dependence