What does dependence mean?
Dependence is the condition of relying on someone or something else for survival, support, or function. A country may have an economic dependence on imports; a child has a natural dependence on parents; a person with an addiction has a chemical dependence on a drug. The word spans everyday practicality — dependence on public transport — through to clinical seriousness, as in alcohol or opioid dependence. It is a neutral term by nature: it describes a relationship rather than judging it, though context often lends it a cautionary tone, since excessive dependence implies vulnerability. Its opposite, independence, is one of its most frequent companions in argument and analysis. Etymologically, dependence derives from Latin pendere, "to hang," so the word literally evokes something suspended from what sustains it — an image that captures its meaning precisely. Writers value it for naming both personal relationships of need and structural relationships between economies, systems, and institutions.
The state of relying on or being controlled by someone or something else.
"The company reduced its dependence on overseas suppliers."
Often followed by "on" or "upon" to specify what is relied upon.
A physical or psychological compulsion toward a substance, especially a drug.
"Long-term use of the medication can lead to physical dependence."
In medicine, distinguished from "addiction": dependence can occur without the compulsive misuse characteristic of addiction.
Rarely pluralized; almost always used as an uncountable noun referring to a general state.
"The report examined the nation's various energy dependences across sectors."
The word "dependence" hides a physical image inside it — from Latin dependere, literally "to hang from," so to depend on someone is, etymologically, to dangle from them.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dependence
Dependence entered English in the late Middle Ages via Old French from the Latin verb dependere, formed from de- ("from") plus pendere ("to hang"), originally meaning "to hang down." The figurative sense of relying on something developed from this image of hanging or being suspended from a source of support. The noun's form was later influenced by the pattern of "independence," and it shares its root with words such as "pendant" and "pension," all tracing back to the Latin pendere.
How dependence is actually used
Neutral to slightly formal in register; common in academic, medical, economic, and political writing. In medical contexts, "dependence" is used technically for a physiological adaptation to a substance, distinct from "addiction," which carries connotations of compulsive use.
Easily confused with dependence
"Dependency" can mean the same state of reliance but also refers to a territory governed by another country or an item that something else relies on (e.g. software dependencies), while "dependence" refers only to the abstract state of relying on something.
"Independence" is essentially the opposite of "dependence," meaning freedom from outside control or reliance.