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
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2
as in anchor
something or someone to which one looks for support
ultimately rice became the chief dependence in that state
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3
as in addiction
a physiological need for certain drugs
acquired a dependence on prescription painkillers following back surgery
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Examples of dependence in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What strategic autonomy would mean in practice for most European countries, including Germany, is exchanging dependence on the United States for dependence on one another and especially on France, the EU’s only nuclear power.
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Hans Kundnani, Foreign Affairs, 10 Sep. 2024
As additional medical uses for the drug are being explored, some experts have raised concerns about potential abuse or dependence that can come with misuse.
—Jason Kravarik, CNN, 17 Aug. 2024
Because global warming is proportional to cumulative greenhouse gas emissions, and emissions from the U.S. substantially exceed those of any other nation, the U.S. government, particularly HHS, has an outsized responsibility to end its dependence on fossil fuels.
—David Introcaso, STAT, 15 Aug. 2024
And while he’s been clean for nine years, the experience clearly helped lend a verisimilitude to all the scenes of dependence and getting high.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dependence 
Hans Kundnani, Foreign Affairs, 10 Sep. 2024
As additional medical uses for the drug are being explored, some experts have raised concerns about potential abuse or dependence that can come with misuse.
—Jason Kravarik, CNN, 17 Aug. 2024
Because global warming is proportional to cumulative greenhouse gas emissions, and emissions from the U.S. substantially exceed those of any other nation, the U.S. government, particularly HHS, has an outsized responsibility to end its dependence on fossil fuels.
—David Introcaso, STAT, 15 Aug. 2024
And while he’s been clean for nine years, the experience clearly helped lend a verisimilitude to all the scenes of dependence and getting high.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dependence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dependence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Dependence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dependence. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.
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