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

The Hazelden Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage is one of California’s exceedingly rare chemical dependency hospitals, subject to much more rigorous oversight than California’s nearly 2,000 licensed or certified addiction treatment facilities. —Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 23 Nov. 2025

Construction costs historically account for 60% of a reactor’s total price tag, often due to dependencies on manual documentation and spreadsheets that lead to cascading delays across thousands of interdependent tasks. —Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 21 Nov. 2025

The game’s collaborative nature, the dependency between players chained together, creates a unique foundation for cinematic storytelling. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 19 Nov. 2025

Start fast, end slow The dependency on McMillan by Carolina’s offense has led to an interesting variance in his production throughout games. —Charlotte Observer, 12 Nov. 2025

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