depend
Americanverb (used without object)
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to rely; place trust (usually followed by on orupon ).
You may depend on the accuracy of the report.
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to rely for support, maintenance, help, etc. (usually followed by on orupon ).
Children depend on their parents.
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to be conditioned or contingent (usually followed by on orupon ).
His success here depends upon effort and ability.
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to be undetermined or pending.
I may go to Europe or I may not, it all depends.
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Grammar. (of a word or other linguistic form) to be subordinate to another linguistic form in the same construction; to form a part of a construction other than the head.
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to hang down; be suspended (usually followed byfrom ).
The chandelier depends from the ceiling of the ballroom.
verb
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to put trust (in); rely (on); be sure (of)
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to be influenced or determined (by); be resultant (from)
whether you come or not depends on what father says
it all depends on you
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to rely (on) for income, support, etc
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rare (foll by from) to hang down; be suspended
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to be undecided or pending
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have dependedperfect
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has dependedperfect 3rd person singular
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am dependingprogressive 1st person singular
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are dependingprogressive
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is dependingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been dependingperfect progressive
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has been dependingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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dependingparticiple
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dependssingular 3rd person
Past
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had dependedperfect
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were dependingprogressive plural
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had been dependingperfect progressive
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was dependingprogressive singular
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dependedsimple
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dependedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of depend
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English dependen, from Old French dependre, from Latin dēpendere “to hang down,” from dē- de- + pendere “to hang”
Explanation
To depend is to have confidence in something or someone. You can depend on your most loyal friend to show up for your modern dance performance in the park (although you probably can't depend on her liking it). Depend can also mean "determined by or contingent on something else." For example, if rain is in the forecast, your outdoor dance performance may be cancelled; it depends on the weather. Depend is almost always followed by the word on or upon, with upon being more formal. If you're speaking informally, you may drop the on or upon, as in "It all depends how you feel." Your decision to do that will, of course, depend upon your audience.
Vocabulary lists containing depend
"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act III
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Sarah, Plain and Tall
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"How Do We Use Water?"
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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.
The crew is expected to spend about two weeks in space, although the final mission duration will depend on launch schedules, rendezvous timing, and the success of docking operations.
From Science Daily • Jun. 11, 2026
The implications for health insurance merit more attention, the bank says, given how many Americans depend on employer-sponsored health benefits.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
The answer may depend on what the Supreme Court thinks about the drinking habits of the Founding Fathers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
England's fate will depend on their success in the play-offs.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
It is reasonable for them to believe they are exceptional too, and that they can depend on the laws to protect them.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
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.
