dependent

American  

[dih-pen-duhnt] / dɪˈpɛn dənt /

Or dependant

adjective

1. relying on someone or something else for aid, support, etc.

2. conditioned or determined by something else; contingent.

   Our trip is dependent on the weather.

3. subordinate; subject.

   a dependent territory.

4. Grammar. not used in isolation; used only in connection with other forms. In I walked out when the bell rang, when the bell rang is a dependent clause.

5. hanging down; pendent.

6. Mathematics.

   1. (of a variable) having values determined by one or more independent variables.

   2. (of an equation) having solutions that are identical to those of another equation or to those of a set of equations.

7. Statistics. (of an event or a value) not statistically independent.

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noun

• dependents
  plural

1. a person who depends on or needs someone or something for aid, support, favor, etc.

2. a child, spouse, parent, or certain other relative to whom one contributes all or a major amount of necessary financial support.

   She listed two dependents on her income-tax form.

3. Archaic. a subordinate part.

dependent British  

/ dɪˈpɛndənt /

adjective

1. depending on a person or thing for aid, support, life, etc

2. (postpositive; foll by on or upon) influenced or conditioned (by); contingent (on)

3. subordinate; subject

   a dependent prince

4. obsolete hanging down

5. maths

   1. (of a variable) having a value depending on that assumed by a related independent variable

   2. (of a linear equation) having every solution as a solution of one or more given linear equations

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noun

1. grammar an element in a phrase or clause that is not the governor

2. a variant spelling (esp US) of dependant

Commonly Confused

See dependant

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overdependent
  adjective
• predependent
  adjective
• quasi-dependent
  adjective
• self-dependent
  adjective
• semidependent
  adjective
• undependent
  adjective
• dependantly
  adverb
• dependently
  adverb
• quasi-dependently
  adverb
• self-dependently
  adverb
• semidependently
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• dependents
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of dependent

First recorded in 1375–1425, dependent is from the late Middle English word dependaunt. See depend, -ent

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Explanation

Being dependent means relying on something. Many people are dependent on coffee in the morning, while a dependent is someone who relies on you for financial support. In grammar-land, a dependent clause can’t stand alone because it’s a fragment. Dependent comes from pendant, the French word for "hanging.” If you break your leg, you will be dependent, or hanging, on crutches to get around. Kids are dependents of their parents, since they rely on them for food and shelter. A drug addict is dependent on drugs. And if a decision is dependent on your mood, that means it depends on or will be decided by how you feel.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dependent dependents

It is a way of assessing how many children and retired people are dependent on the economic output of the working age population.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

This suggests that the bacteria-inhibiting properties of birch tar were not dependent on one particular production method.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

In Maine, which is among the states most dependent on heating oil, the state’s housing authority, aka MaineHousing, administers the federal Low-Income Energy Assistance Program.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 10, 2026

Still, he said, "in a market where valuations are increasingly dependent on ambitious revenue and cash flow projections, the headlines have been enough to trigger a meaningful one-day repositioning".

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

Madison instead argued that the implementation of Jay’s Treaty required the approval of the House for all provisions dependent on funding.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

There was just one hitch: The law applied only to employees of fully insured large companies plus CalPERS — potentially reaching roughly 9 million Californians, including workers, spouses and dependents, according to a legislative analysis.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

During the Covid pandemic, Congress approved payouts to income-eligible tax filers and their dependents only, a narrower approach that would lower the cost further.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

I live in California, am single with no children or dependents, rent rather than own, have no mortgage, and am in the 24% federal tax bracket.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

Predictions that AI would kill half of all white-collar jobs or create a permanent class of unemployed welfare dependents were always far-fetched.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

“Yeah, Dad, the Marine Corps spares no expense on those I.D. photographs. It must cost them at least a nickel for every million dependents they take pictures of,” Ben said.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

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Related Words

• defenseless
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