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

Like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Abu Dhabi and the other members of the United Arab Emirates are deeply economically enmeshed with the United States and heavily dependent on America for national security protection.

From Slate ● Oct. 30, 2026

That benefit could be eroded, though, if factories are still dependent on U.S. suppliers for major components.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Iraq's economy is heavily dependent on its energy exports, which almost entirely rely on transport through the strait.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

“Investors will increasingly differentiate between highly rated companies with substantial recurring revenue and free cash flow, like Microsoft, and more leveraged infrastructure providers dependent on future demand,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

The metaphorical potency of Alexei’s illness was also undeniable—symptomatic of an empire gone sick, dependent on bandages and prayers, hemorrhaging at its core.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

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

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

I own my home outright, have no children or other dependents, and my closest relatives are my siblings, nieces and nephews.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

One morning, we were summoned to the dining-room — the servants, the family, the dependents — and told that there the sole hope of our College awaited us.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

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Related Words

• defenseless
• poor
• reliant
• vulnerable

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