variants also dependance
Definition of dependencenext
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in reliance
something or someone to which one looks for support ultimately rice became the chief dependence in that state

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in addiction
a physiological need for certain drugs acquired a dependence on prescription painkillers following back surgery

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dependence Forky has shades of Buster Bluth, the socially inept youngest sibling in Arrested Development, and Gary Walsh, the always available aide in VEEP, who brings co-dependence to dizzying new heights. Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2026 Countries affected by the disruption are expected to bolster energy stockpiles, direct resources to ramp up domestic production, and pursue alternative supply routes to reduce dependence on a single chokepoint. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 19 June 2026 Endosymbiosis can also be classified by the degree of dependence between the host and the endosymbiont. Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 June 2026 Reducing America’s dependence on foreign sources for critical medical products is not only a public health priority but also a national security imperative. W. Craig Vanderwagen, STAT, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dependence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dependence
Noun
  • Domestic recycling from secondary sources represents one pathway to reduce that dependency.
    Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 30 June 2026
  • For incident response agents, this means producing an investigation trail with relevant alerts, logs, metrics, deployment and infrastructure events, and dependencies.
    Raman Varma, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Downtown Sacramento businesses remain skeptical that the state’s July return-to-office mandate affecting roughly 95,000 employees will actually materialize, even as foot traffic sits at 85% of April 2019 levels and local leaders rethink the urban core’s heavy reliance on office space.
    Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026
  • The concern that humanity’s reliance on AI systems will stunt people’s ability to think and reason for themselves is one that AI companies should address,Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark said at a recent Aspen Institute event.
    Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • Once open, the program will provide transitional housing and on-site services to people who are chronically homeless and struggling with drug addiction, mental health or all types of disabilities.
    Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
  • Adelson, a doctor who has focused on addiction, is the majority shareholder of Las Vegas Sands, a casino company, and a majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks NBA team.
    Eric Lau, Washington Post, 25 June 2026
Noun
  • She has also been spotted working as a substitute anchor for various personnel, particularly on weekends.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 1 July 2026
  • With a fresh margarita in hand, Josef launches into a 70-minute monologue about his Life and Times, which carries on past Nathan’s anchor-watch shift and into Coop’s.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • More than an idyllic lakeside hamlet beloved by the international jet set, the northern Italian town of Como and the surrounding area are home to the country’s biggest silk-making districts, part of Italy’s fashion supply chain backbone.
    Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 June 2026
  • The Gilded Age fortunes that scandalized their contemporaries became, within a generation, the universities, museums and hospitals that form America’s civic backbone.
    Douglas P. McCormick, Fortune, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • One of the site’s 36 pillars — the tallest one in the middle — could be a perch for a big, pink, screeching bird.
    Ryan Steven Green, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
  • Its success or failure could help determine whether battery repurposing becomes a niche practice or a major pillar of the future energy-storage industry.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 28 June 2026
Noun
  • Like, if the end is to predict nature, to be able to find formulas and theorems that are true, understanding may be a crutch.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 25 June 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • The artist is also a mainstay at some of fashion's biggest circuits.
    Eleanor Jacobs, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
  • Newer spaces like Salted Melon, The Craic and Laurel Park offer fresh takes with a relaxed feel and fun patio spaces, while mainstays like Rhino Market and Arthur’s fill up with longtime fans.
    Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 29 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dependence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dependence. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on dependence

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster