ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hinge upon

phr. v..
C1 Advanced Oxford Academic Formal

phr. v.. to depend completely on something else to happen or be true.

phr. v.. to depend entirely on a specific factor or event for a result or success; often used in formal or academic contexts to describe logical or causal dependency.


SIMPLE

The success of the party will hinge upon the weather.

CONTEXTUAL

The jury's final decision will hinge upon the DNA evidence presented by the prosecution.

COMPLEX

The stability of the entire regional economy may hinge upon the outcome of these delicate trade negotiations.

Particles
upon
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
hinge + upon + object
Usage

usually followed by a noun or a noun phrase representing the deciding factor.

Teaching tip

this is a more formal and precise version of 'depend on'; the image of a door hinge helps students visualize how one thing supports the movement of another.

Pitfall

The plan hinges from his approval.The plan hinges upon his approval.the verb 'hinge' must be followed by the preposition 'upon' or 'on', never 'from'.

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