dependent
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.needing someone or something else for help, support, or money.
adj.relying on or requiring the aid or support of another person or thing for survival or operation.
Simple“The small island is heavily dependent on tourism for its income.”
In context“The local economy remains dangerously dependent on a single manufacturing plant, leaving the community vulnerable to global market fluctuations.”
PitfallThe success is dependent of the weather. The success is dependent on the weather.The adjective 'dependent' always takes the preposition 'on' or 'upon', never 'of'.
SynonymsAntonymsindependentself sufficient - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.decided or changed by something else that happens.
adj.contingent upon or determined by another factor or event.
Simple“Our plans for the picnic are dependent on the weather tomorrow.”
In context“The final approval of the merger is dependent on the company meeting several strict environmental and safety regulations.”
Synonymsconditionalsubject toAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
adj.in math, when the result of one thing changes the chance of another thing happening.
adj.describing a variable or event whose probability or value is influenced by the outcome of another.
Simple“The two events are dependent, so the first result changes the second one.”
In context“In this statistical model, the dependent variable represents the growth rate, which we measure against several independent environmental factors.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
adj.describes a part of the body that is lower than the heart.
adj.referring to a body part positioned lower than the heart, where fluid tends to collect due to gravity.
Simple“The patient had swelling in their dependent limbs after standing all day.”
In context“The physician noted significant dependent oedema in the patient's lower legs, likely exacerbated by prolonged periods of sitting without elevation.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a person, like a child, who depends on you for money and a home.
n.a person who relies on another for financial support, often used in legal or tax contexts.
Simple“He has three dependents, including two young children and his elderly father.”
In context“The insurance policy provides comprehensive coverage for the primary holder as well as any legal dependents living in the same household.”
UsageIn British English, the noun is often spelled 'dependant', while the adjective is 'dependent'.
Teacher's tipIn American English, 'dependent' is used for both the noun and adjective. In British English, the 'ant' ending is the standard for the person.
- 06 C1 Advanced
n.a word or phrase that adds information to a main word.
n.an element in a phrase or clause that is not the head, such as a modifier or a complement.
Simple“In the phrase 'very tall', the word 'very' is a dependent of 'tall'.”
In context“The structural analysis of the sentence requires identifying the head of each phrase and its associated dependents to determine the hierarchy.”
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage entirely dependent · heavily dependent · highly dependent
From Middle English dependaunt, dependent, from Middle French dependant (present participle of dependre (“to depend”)) and Latin dēpendēns (present participle of dēpendeō (“to depend”)). By surface analysis, depend + -ent.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.