# depending

/dɪˈpɛndɪŋ/ (US) · /dɪpˈɛndɪŋ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. determined by

verb · CEFR B1

you use this to say that something is decided by another situation or fact.

For teachers: functioning as a prepositional participle to indicate that an outcome is contingent upon specific factors.

- Depending on the weather, we might have the party in the garden.
- The final cost of the renovation will vary significantly depending on the quality of the materials selected by the client.

Usage: Always followed by the preposition 'on'.

### 2. relying on

verb · CEFR B1

needing someone or something for help or support.

For teachers: relying on a person or thing for financial, emotional, or physical support.

- She is currently depending on her parents for financial help while she studies.
- The local economy is heavily depending on seasonal tourism, which makes the winter months particularly difficult for small business owners.

### 3. hanging down

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

hanging or swinging down from something else.

For teachers: suspended or hanging from another element; often used in technical descriptions of heraldry or anatomy.

- The depending vines reached all the way to the forest floor.
- The knight's crest featured a depending badge, intricately carved from ivory and suspended by a heavy gold chain.

## Examples

- The price of the trip varies depending on the season.
- We might go for a hike tomorrow, depending on whether the rain stops by morning.
- The success of the merger remains uncertain, depending largely on the board's willingness to accept the revised terms proposed by the shareholders.

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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.