depend

American  

[dih-pend] / dɪˈpɛnd /

verb (used without object)

1. to rely; place trust (usually followed by on orupon ).

   You may depend on the accuracy of the report.

2. to rely for support, maintenance, help, etc. (usually followed by on orupon ).

   Children depend on their parents.

3. to be conditioned or contingent (usually followed by on orupon ).

   His success here depends upon effort and ability.

4. to be undetermined or pending.

   I may go to Europe or I may not, it all depends.

5. Grammar. (of a word or other linguistic form) to be subordinate to another linguistic form in the same construction; to form a part of a construction other than the head.

6. to hang down; be suspended (usually followed byfrom ).

   The chandelier depends from the ceiling of the ballroom.

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depend British  

/ dɪˈpɛnd /

verb

1. to put trust (in); rely (on); be sure (of)

2. to be influenced or determined (by); be resultant (from)

   whether you come or not depends on what father says

   it all depends on you

3. to rely (on) for income, support, etc

4. rare (foll by from) to hang down; be suspended

5. to be undecided or pending

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Other Word Forms

• interdepend
  verb (used without object)
• redepend
  verb (used without object)
• self-depending
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of depend

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English dependen, from Old French dependre, from Latin dēpendere “to hang down,” from dē- de- + pendere “to hang”

Explanation

To depend is to have confidence in something or someone. You can depend on your most loyal friend to show up for your modern dance performance in the park (although you probably can't depend on her liking it). Depend can also mean "determined by or contingent on something else." For example, if rain is in the forecast, your outdoor dance performance may be cancelled; it depends on the weather. Depend is almost always followed by the word on or upon, with upon being more formal. If you're speaking informally, you may drop the on or upon, as in "It all depends how you feel." Your decision to do that will, of course, depend upon your audience.

Example Sentences

I was able to name my parents as beneficiaries on my current policy, and they did not depend on my income.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

"And that doesn't seem to depend much on how the weight was lost in the first place."

From Science Daily • May 5, 2026

First, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission should require prediction-market platforms to monitor on-platform activity and the resolution sources their contracts depend on.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

All of our lives and liberty, and those of our daughters, nieces, and granddaughters, depend on it.

From Slate • May 5, 2026

“I either depend more upon Emma’s good sense than you do, or am more anxious for her present comfort; for I cannot lament the acquaintance. How well she looked last night!”

From "Emma" by Jane Austen

Related Words

• hinge on
• rest on
• revolve around