dependable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dependable
Compare meaning
How does dependable compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Dependable means "reliable, steady, trustworthy." If people can always count on you, that means you are dependable. The adjective dependable can also mean consistent in performance or behavior, like a dependable car that always starts and rarely needs service or a dependable actor who always does a great job, regardless of the role. Dependable can also be used to describe something that is financially sound, like an investment that brings profit with little risk.
Vocabulary lists containing dependable
Words to Describe Yourself on a Resume
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Words to Describe a Friend
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Cover Letter Language
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Naval Academy, having deemed GPS dependable, stopped teaching midshipmen celestial navigation—the discipline of fixing a ship’s position based on timed sightings of the sun and the stars.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
If the dependable friend offers you 5% to borrow your money, you might demand 8% from the unreliable friend because there’s a greater chance something goes wrong.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
Before the team could use the eruption as a dependable benchmark, Hasler needed to address a long-standing disagreement over exactly when Vesuvius erupted.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026
That provides a dependable pool of money that can be locked up in speculative investments for a longer period, compared with life insurance, where payouts can be less predictable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
He is wounded severely in the Wilderness, 1864, but returns to be Lee’s most dependable soldier, his right hand until the end at Appomattox.
From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
