# depends

/dɪˈpɛndz/ (US) · /dɪpˈɛndz/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. to be decided by something else

verb · CEFR A2

to be decided or influenced by something else.

For teachers: to be contingent on or determined by a specific condition or factor; always used with the preposition 'on' or 'upon'.

- The success of our picnic depends on the weather tomorrow morning.
- The feasibility of the entire project depends on the board's willingness to approve the additional funding requested in the latest report.

Usage: The verb is intransitive and requires the preposition 'on' or 'upon' before the object.

### 2. it is not certain

interjection · CEFR B1 · Informal

you say this when you cannot give a simple 'yes' or 'no' because you need more information.

For teachers: a shortened form of 'it depends', used as a standalone response to indicate that an answer is contingent on unspecified factors.

- "Are you coming to the party?" "Depends. Is your brother going to be there?"
- "Will the repairs be finished by Friday?" "Depends; if the parts arrive tomorrow, we should be on schedule."

Teaching tip: While common in speech, this shortened form should be avoided in formal writing where 'It depends on...' is preferred.

## Examples

- The price of the trip depends on the date.
- Whether we go for a hike tomorrow depends entirely on the weather forecast and if the trails are dry.
- The success of the merger depends on how effectively the two corporate cultures can integrate their disparate management styles over the next fiscal year.

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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.