as in dependence
the quality or state of needing something or someone
she was concerned about his heavy dependency on coffee to get him moving in the morning
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Recent Examples of dependency
The grant money is not guaranteed, but requesting the federal funds is one step in the process to help reduce the village’s dependency on private septic systems or intergovernmental agreements with other companies and communities, village officials said.
—
Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Maynard said the bill responds to growing national concerns, including lawsuits and media reports claiming that some AI companion platforms may foster emotional dependency in minors and, in extreme cases, have been linked to self-harm.
—Dylan Goforth, The Frontier, 28 Jan. 2026
Taking the supplement every night is generally considered safe and is unlikely to cause dependency or rebound insomnia, said John Rinker, MD, an internal medicine physician at OSF HealthCare.
—Allison Forsyth, Health, 28 Jan. 2026
The Patriots broke away from the Broncos by breaking their dependency on Maye to start the second half.
—Andrew Callahan, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dependency
Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Maynard said the bill responds to growing national concerns, including lawsuits and media reports claiming that some AI companion platforms may foster emotional dependency in minors and, in extreme cases, have been linked to self-harm.
—Dylan Goforth, The Frontier, 28 Jan. 2026
Taking the supplement every night is generally considered safe and is unlikely to cause dependency or rebound insomnia, said John Rinker, MD, an internal medicine physician at OSF HealthCare.
—Allison Forsyth, Health, 28 Jan. 2026
The Patriots broke away from the Broncos by breaking their dependency on Maye to start the second half.
—Andrew Callahan, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dependency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dependency
Noun
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Together, these systems are intended to help farmers reduce dependence on manual labor and chemical herbicides while maintaining or improving crop yields.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Feb. 2026
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Trump administration announces plans for critical minerals stockpile The US government is developing a $12 billion critical minerals stockpile in its quest to bolster its domestic supply chain and reduce dependence on China.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The threat of duties and sanctions imposed by the US has also prompted some nations to look to hedge their reliance on the dollar.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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The Austin Fire Department accrued the second highest amount of overtime in fiscal year 2026 at $22 million, while Emergency Medical Services showed the highest reliance on overtime pay.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dependency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dependency. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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