interdependent
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of interdependent
Explanation
When objects or people are interdependent, they come to rely on each other for survival. As business becomes more and more international, the world is increasingly interdependent, with countries needing each other's help to survive. Interdependent comes from the Latin word inter meaning "among, between," and dependere which means "to hang from, be dependent on." When two people are interdependent, they have a sense of dependency between them. Married couples are often interdependent. They rely on one another — whether for income or child care or love — to get by.
Vocabulary lists containing interdependent
Life Science: Ecosystems
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Ecology - Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems - Introductory
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Ecology - Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems - Middle School and High School
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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 their function is quite different when viewed as part of an interdependent Federal Reserve system.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
The theory ignores the fact that federal powers are both separate and interdependent, as well as the importance of checks and balances within the government.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2025
He says he doesn't like the word "since everyone is interdependent in the modern world".
From BBC • Feb. 2, 2025
Which is, in today's interdependent world, not that effective.
From Salon • May 26, 2024
We are as interdependent, especially in our cities, as bees or ants, yet we can detach if we wish and go live alone in the woods, in theory anyway.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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.
