dependant
Britishnoun
Commonly Confused
See dependent
Explanation
A dependant is someone who relies on someone else, possibly for financial support. You'll most often find this spelling in British English, where it's favored (or favoured!) in using the word as a noun. Don't be confused by the spelling. In the UK, the -ant ending often shows up for the noun but not the adjective. In the US, the -ent ending is more popular for both the noun and adjective. Either way, this word has to do with reliance. Kids are dependants (or dependents) of their parents, which means they depend on them for food and shelter.
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.
The boss of South East Water has said the company is too dependant on individual facilities after a six-day supply failure affected thousands of people in Kent.
From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2025
Volkswagen and Audi on Friday said their full-year financial guidance was dependant on an adequate supply of semiconductors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2025
Comparing heatwaves each year is difficult because they are location dependant and the current Met Office heatwave definition has only been in place since 2019.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2025
Prof Jones said the future of the site was dependant on what kind of use the local planning authority would allow.
From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2025
In this City there's a famous Abbey of Nuns, which is a very honorable Retreat for young Women of Quality, who are Orphans, or don't care to be dependant on their Parents.
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
