variants
also dependance
1
as in dependency
the quality or state of needing something or someone
a baby's total dependence upon his or her parents for every one of life's needs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in addiction
a physiological need for certain drugs
acquired a dependence on prescription painkillers following back surgery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dependence
If expectations and conditioning can ease withdrawal from caffeine, similar tools might one day help with dependence on other substances.
—
Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
The findings point to the powerful role expectation and habit play in how our bodies experience dependence.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026
Later, the woman’s daughter was born with opiate dependence and had to stay in the hospital for several months after birth.
—Adeline Goss, New Yorker, 11 June 2026
Geopolitical uncertainty, the rise of AI, and worries over foreign tech dependence have convinced many regulators that data is a core national asset.
—Leonard Lim, Fortune, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dependence
Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
The findings point to the powerful role expectation and habit play in how our bodies experience dependence.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026
Later, the woman’s daughter was born with opiate dependence and had to stay in the hospital for several months after birth.
—Adeline Goss, New Yorker, 11 June 2026
Geopolitical uncertainty, the rise of AI, and worries over foreign tech dependence have convinced many regulators that data is a core national asset.
—Leonard Lim, Fortune, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dependence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dependence
Noun
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Wlodarczak added that user engagement trends have been flatlining despite a strong content slate, while Netflix’s dependency on Amazon Web Services to host its content infrastructure also benefits a direct competitor.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
8 Dec. 2025
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The story of Jeffrey Epstein is just one example of how traffickers use a combination of manipulation, economic dependency and coercion – rather than physical captivity – to entrap vulnerable people and slowly erode their autonomy.—
Joan A. Reid,
The Conversation,
8 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The country with the second largest portion of companies on the list is France, which is one of the leading renewable energy producers and sustainability innovators in the EU with a €240 million plan unveiled in April to further reduce its fossil fuel reliance.—
Charlotte Hu,
Time,
9 June 2026
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Dart’s reliance on underneath throws for minimal completions, some inside throws into traffic and plenty of downfield misses — like an overthrow of Fields in one-on-one coverage against rookie corner Colton Hood — create plenty of reason for urgency from John Harbaugh and the Giants.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
9 June 2026
Noun
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Ray did his due diligence, hiring an addiction counsellor, administering urine drug tests, and completing a course in pain management.—
Adeline Goss,
New Yorker,
11 June 2026
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The Bidens have lived through the death of one son, the addiction struggles of another, several brutal campaigns, and the klieg lights of a presidency.—
Julia Terruso,
Time,
11 June 2026
Noun
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Nine people, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon, were initially arrested with 30 more later indicted on federal charges in connection with the incident.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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Longtime on-air anchor Glen Walker is making his way back to broadcast news in Los Angeles.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Reading people’s intentions and forming relationships is still the backbone of successful recruiting.—
Steven Johnson
June 16,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2026
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Congress is starting to get a little bit of a backbone and put some funding back into getting good, solid, basic science going.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
Noun
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The lifecycle pillar then operationalizes governance through requirements covering model selection, data quality, explainability, performance monitoring, human oversight, cybersecurity, and third-party risk.—
Mayra Rodriguez Valladares,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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When constructed, the stone circle was aligned with the sun, and to this day, thousands of people gather to witness the moment the sun peeks perfectly through its pillars.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Noun
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That includes people who use a portable oxygen tank or are unable to walk without the assistance of a brace, cane, crutch, prosthetic or other assistive device.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
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The 2026 Pulse of Work report—a survey of 2,500 respondents of both knowledge workers and IT managers on AI deployment—found that Gen Z workers were especially likely to treat the tech as a crutch, and 62% admitted to it.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Noun
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It is said that a stack of books was a mainstay on his bedside table in the White House.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
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And there had been the waiting game for Aho and Svechnikov — two roster mainstays in an eight-year postseason run — to find a better offensive groove.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dependence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dependence. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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