# depend

/dɪˈpɛnd/ (US) · /dɪpˈɛnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/depend
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to be decided by something else

verb · CEFR A2

to be decided or changed by something else.

For teachers: to be contingent on or determined by something else. This sense is intransitive and almost always followed by the preposition 'on'.

- Whether we go for a picnic will depend on the weather tomorrow.
- The success of the merger will depend on how effectively the two corporate cultures can be integrated over the next fiscal year.

Usage: Usually followed by 'on' or 'upon' before a noun or a clause starting with 'whether', 'how', or 'what'.

### 2. to rely on someone

verb · CEFR B1

to trust someone or something to help you or do what is needed.

For teachers: to rely on or place trust in someone or something for support or success.

- You can always depend on her to arrive exactly on time.
- Small businesses often depend on local community support to survive during periods of economic instability.

Usage: Takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon'.

### 3. to hang down

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to hang down from something above.

For teachers: to hang down or be suspended from a point above.

- A heavy gold medal depended from a silk ribbon around his neck.
- The ancient chandelier depended from the vaulted ceiling by a rusted iron chain that looked ready to snap.

Teaching tip: This literal, physical sense is rare in modern speech; learners will mostly encounter it in 19th-century literature or technical descriptions of heraldry.

## Examples

- Children depend on their parents for food and clothes.
- The success of our outdoor picnic will depend on the weather this weekend.
- Whether the local economy can recover quickly will depend on how effectively the government distributes the emergency relief funds to small businesses.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.