depend

verb

de·​pend di-ˈpend How to pronounce depend (audio)
depended; depending; depends

intransitive verb

1
: to be determined, based, or contingent (see contingent entry 1 sense 1)
life depends on food
the value of Y depends on X
2
: to be pending or undecided
matters of greatest moment were dependingJohn Milton
3
a
: to place reliance or trust
you can depend on me
b
: to be dependent especially for financial support
Her family depends on her paycheck.
still depends on his parents
4
: to hang down
a star was depending from his neckArnold Bennett

Examples of depend in a Sentence

whether or not we play baseball will depend on how much rain we get I know I can always depend on you for help when I really need it.
Recent Examples on the Web But the exact effects ultimately depend on internet providers, which can offer their own discounts — or simply elect to stop accepting federal subsidies in May. Tony Romm, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024 Leave a comment View Comments The changes in a person’s vision depend on the type of damage that is done, and these can occur in one or both eyes. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024 But that in turn depends on changes in Israeli and Palestinian politics that could take a generation at best and may never materialize at worst. Steven Simon, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024 Read More: The New RSV Drug Keeps Babies Out of the Hospital Usage in younger adults would ultimately depend on the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. TIME, 9 Apr. 2024 California businesses also depend on foreign workers for temporary help at farms and to fill seasonal openings at resort hotels and tourist sites. Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024 Prices depend on the seat location and tickets are available at third-party resale platforms such as StubHub, Ticket Liquidator, Ticket Network and GameTime. Rudie Obias, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Apr. 2024 Litigation is not always long and protracted—indeed, their counsel may be able to seek a speedy resolution of their ERC claim through settlement discussions with DOJ-Tax, depending on the strength of their ERC claim. Matthew Roberts, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024 Eligible educators receive between $5,000 and $14,000 per year, depending on their role. Lauren Lumpkin, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'depend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French dependre, modification of Latin dependēre, from de- + pendēre to hang — more at pendant

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of depend was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near depend

Cite this Entry

“Depend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depend. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

depend

verb
de·​pend di-ˈpend How to pronounce depend (audio)
1
: to be determined by or based on
success of the picnic will depend on the weather
2
: trust entry 2 sense 1a, rely
a person you can depend on
3
: to rely for support
children depend on their parents
4
: to hang down
a vine depending from a tree
Etymology

Middle English dependen "to exist or result from some other condition," from early French dependre (same meaning), derived from Latin dependēre "to hang down, hang from," from de- "from, down" and pendēre "to hang" — related to pendulum, perpendicular

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