verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/dɪˈpɛnd/
General-American:/dɪˈpɛnd/
General-American:/di-/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/dəˈpɛnd/weak vowel merger
Australian:/dɪˈpend/
New-Zealand:/dəˈpend/
rhymes with -ɛnd
CMU ARPABET:D IH0 P EH1 N D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To be contingent or conditioned; to have something as a necessary condition
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
We would like to go skiing, but it depends on the amount of snow.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hinge on, ride, pivot
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To trust; to have confidence; to rely.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
we should all be able to depend on the word or assurance of our friends
we depend on the mailman to come at the usual time.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To hang down; to be sustained by being fastened or attached to something above, especially in heraldry, where a badge, decoration, or element is suspended from another part of an achievement of arms.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To be pending; to be undetermined or undecided.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
Examples
a cause depending in court
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To cause to be contingent or dependent on; to set as a necessity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
have faith or confidence in
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
you can count on me to help you any time
Look to your friends for support
You can bet on that!
Depend on your family in times of crisis
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: count, bet, look, calculate, reckon
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: trust, swear, rely, bank
7
verb
Meaning 7
be contingent upon (something that is elided)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
That depends
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: be
Narrower terms: hang by a thread, hang by a hair
History
Etymology
From Middle English dependen, from Old French dependre and Latin dependeō, from Latin dē- + pendeō (“to hang”). In this sense, displaced native Old English hangian (“to hang or depend”).
Across languages
Translations
94 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
asılı olmaq
— be contingent or conditioned
Bengali:
নির্ভর করা
(nirbhor kora)
— be contingent or conditioned
Catalan:
dependre
— be contingent or conditioned
Czech:
záviset
— be contingent or conditioned
Czech:
záležet
— be contingent or conditioned
Danish:
afhænge
— be contingent or conditioned
Dutch:
afhangen
— be contingent or conditioned
Esperanto:
dependi
— be contingent or conditioned
Finnish:
riippua
— be contingent or conditioned
French:
dépendre
— be contingent or conditioned
Georgian:
დამოკიდებულია
(damoḳidebulia)
— be contingent or conditioned
German:
abhängen
— be contingent or conditioned
German:
ankommen
— be contingent or conditioned
Hebrew:
היה תלוי
(hayá talúy)
— be contingent or conditioned
Hungarian:
függ
— be contingent or conditioned
Indonesian:
tergantung
— be contingent or conditioned
Irish:
braith
— be contingent or conditioned
Italian:
dipendere
— be contingent or conditioned
Japanese:
依存する
(izon suru)
— be contingent or conditioned
Korean:
의존하다
(uijonhada)
— be contingent or conditioned
Korean:
...에 달려 있다
(...e dallyeo itda)
— be contingent or conditioned
Macedonian:
зависи
(zavisi)
— be contingent or conditioned
Norwegian Bokmål:
avhenge
— be contingent or conditioned
Norwegian Nynorsk:
avhenge
— be contingent or conditioned
Norwegian Nynorsk:
avhange
— be contingent or conditioned
Old English:
hangian
— be contingent or conditioned
Polish:
zależeć
— be contingent or conditioned
Portuguese:
depender
— be contingent or conditioned
Romanian:
depinde
— be contingent or conditioned
Russian:
зави́сеть
(zavísetʹ)
— be contingent or conditioned
Scottish Gaelic:
croch
— be contingent or conditioned
Scottish Gaelic:
bi an crochadh
— be contingent or conditioned
Serbo-Croatian:
овисити
— be contingent or conditioned
Serbo-Croatian:
зависити
— be contingent or conditioned
Serbo-Croatian:
ovisiti
— be contingent or conditioned
Serbo-Croatian:
zavisiti
— be contingent or conditioned
Spanish:
depender (de)
— be contingent or conditioned
Spanish:
ser dependiente (de)
— be contingent or conditioned
Swedish:
bero på
— be contingent or conditioned
Swedish:
ankomma på
— be contingent or conditioned
Thai:
พึ่ง
(pʉ̂ng)
— be contingent or conditioned
Ukrainian:
зале́жати
(zaléžaty)
— be contingent or conditioned
Vietnamese:
phụ thuộc
— be contingent or conditioned
