the state or fact of being dependent, esp for support or help reliance; trust; confidence
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
de•pend•ence /dɪˈpɛndəns/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- the state of relying on someone or something for aid or support:the dependence on the West for luxury items.
- reliance;
trust:dependence on religion. - the state of being a condition for something to follow:the dependence of an effect upon a cause.
- Psychiatrythe state of being psychologically or physiologically dependent on a drug:the frightening dependence on drugs.
de•pend•ence
(di pen′dəns),USA pronunciation n.
- the state of relying on or needing someone or something for aid, support, or the like.
- reliance;
confidence;
trust:Her complete reliability earned her our dependence. - an object of reliance or trust.
- the state of being conditional or contingent on something, as through a natural or logical sequence:the dependence of an effect upon a cause.
- Psychiatrythe state of being psychologically or physiologically dependent on a drug after a prolonged period of use.
- subordination or subjection:the dependence of Martinique upon France.
- Old French dependance, equivalent. to depend(re) (see depend) + -ance -ence
- late Middle English dependaunce 1400–50
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'mutual dependence' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):