dependence
Americannoun
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the state of relying on or needing someone or something for aid, support, or the like.
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reliance; confidence; trust.
Her complete reliability earned her our dependence.
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an object of reliance or trust.
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the state of being conditional or contingent on something, as through a natural or logical sequence.
the dependence of an effect upon a cause.
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the state of being psychologically or physiologically dependent on a drug after a prolonged period of use.
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subordination or subjection.
the dependence of Martinique upon France.
noun
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the state or fact of being dependent, esp for support or help
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reliance; trust; confidence
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rare an object or person relied upon
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dependence
1400–50; late Middle English dependaunce < Old French dependance, equivalent to depend ( re ) ( see depend) + -ance -ence
Explanation
Dependence is a state where someone is heavily reliant on someone or something else. This could mean the dependence of children on parents or an addict on a drug. Since to depend on someone is to need them, dependence is a state or condition of strong need. There are many kinds of dependence: a dog is in a state of dependence with his master. This word is also often used for drug and alcohol dependence, which is known as addiction. Dependence a strong word for extreme needs: liking something, like chocolate, isn't really dependence. The opposite of dependence is independence: being self-reliant and not needing others.
Vocabulary lists containing dependence
Psychological Conditions and Disorders
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Psychology
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Jimmy Carter, Speech from July 15, 1979
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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.
But in 2009, at the same time she was visiting Epstein in jail, she appears to have begun to lessen her financial dependence on him, by taking to the air.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
Pineau said Cohere was well-positioned to capitalize on demand from European and Asian markets wary of dependence on US technology platforms.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
The agenda exposes the mutual dependence of the two rival superpowers, marked by distrust but driven by a quest for cooperation and stability.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026
Still, each side is trying to reduce dependence on the other without rupturing the relationship that makes both economies work.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
He’d told Guitar that he didn’t “deserve” his family’s dependence, hatred, or whatever.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
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.
