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 of dependency

• dependence
• reliance

Examples of dependency in a Sentence

the country's dependency on foreign oil

a dependency on foreign oil

Recent Examples on the Web

Owning a feature end-to-end eliminates engineering bottlenecks and dependencies on central infra teams. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

Far from diversifying away from China, Europe is deepening its dependencies. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 23 June 2026

And sometimes the victims make enforcement more challenging by refusing to detail the risks, because of emotional attachment to the abuser, dependency, or fear. — Sara-James Ranta, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 June 2026

In addition, the new contract will separate procurement of these aircraft from the development of their software, which will be spread across half a dozen companies to prevent dependency on a single vendor. — David Szondy june 20, New Atlas, 20 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

depend(ent) entry 1 + -ency

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