dependency

American  

[dih-pen-duhn-see] / dɪˈpɛn dən si /

Or dependancy

noun

• dependencies
  plural

1. the state of being dependent; dependence.

2. something dependent or subordinate; appurtenance.

3. an outbuilding or annex.

4. a subject territory that is not an integral part of the ruling country.

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dependency British  

/ dɪˈpɛndənsɪ /

noun

1. a territory subject to a state on which it does not border

2. a dependent or subordinate person or thing

3. psychol overreliance by a person on another person or on a drug, etc

4. another word for dependence

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nondependancy
  noun
• nondependency
  noun
• self-dependency
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• dependencies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dependency

First recorded in 1585–95; dependence + -y ³

Explanation

Dependency happens when you can't function without the help of someone or something. If you have a dependency on coffee, you need it to be human in the morning. Not sure? Ask the people you live with. A dependency on the help or support of another person isn't necessarily negative, but other kinds of dependency — on something habit-forming or addictive, like cigarettes — can be harmful. You can also use this noun to mean "a country, province, or territory controlled by a bigger, more powerful country." Guam and Puerto Rico, which don't have complete independence from the US, can be called dependencies.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dependency dependencies

He noted that for Mastercard’s customer base, which consists of financial-services players, the company’s open standard for stablecoins “provides direct participation, reduced dependency on third parties and the benefits of distributed economics.”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026

ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, designed to lessen its dependency on declining cable TV revenue, is still in its nascent stage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

Dementia is the seventh leading cause of death and a major cause of disability and dependency among older people globally.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

At the same time, the allies were trying to step back from a decades-old dependency on American technology, military power, and trade, without provoking Washington.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

At the rear of the house a brick dependency that may once have been a kitchen.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

Compared with chemical dependencies, which have been well understood since before the first DSM was compiled in 1952, the framework for describing so-called behavioral addictions is extremely new, he and others said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026

It will take time for middle-sized democracies in Europe and Asia to wean themselves from dependencies on America and to intensify cooperation among themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026

Central banks are diversifying their currency reserves, and the development of alternative payment corridors that reduce dependencies on the U.S. dollar are expanding.

From Barron's ● Mar. 4, 2026

Both Crown dependencies have set residency requirements for eligibility - 12 months for Jersey and five years for the Isle of Man.

From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026

Ursula Granger ruled the kitchen and other dependencies, supervising the cooking and washing, the smokehouse where meats were cured, and the cider-making operation.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis