depend on/upon
phrasal verb
depended on/upon; depending on/upon; depends on/upon
1
: to be determined or decided by (something)
We're not sure if we'll have the picnic. It depends on the weather.
"Will you go back to college?" "I don't know. It depends on whether or not I can afford it."
The stamp's value depends on how rare it is.
Depending upon your child's weight and height, she or he may have to sit in the back seat of the car.
2
: to need (someone or something) for support, help, etc.
He no longer depends on his parents for money.
They depend heavily/largely/solely/entirely on her income to pay the bills.
3
: to be sure about (someone or something) : to trust (someone or something)
The manufacturer promises quality you can depend on.
She will be remembered as a woman upon whom people could depend.
—sometimes used humorouslyI can always depend on it to rain on days when I forget my umbrella.
Examples of depend on/upon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Prices and channel availability depend on your local TV market.
—
Rudie Obias, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2025
Don’t depend on rusty pipes or faucets, drains or pumps that don’t work.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Ultimately, the decision for companies will depend on factors like cost, access to deep capital pools, the efficiency of the listing process, and access to quality research analysts.
—Ganesh Rao, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2025
Our trip left me unpersuaded — especially given that around one in seven of the region’s jobs depend on tourism.
—Angus MacKinnon, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for depend on/upon
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Rudie Obias, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2025
Don’t depend on rusty pipes or faucets, drains or pumps that don’t work.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Ultimately, the decision for companies will depend on factors like cost, access to deep capital pools, the efficiency of the listing process, and access to quality research analysts.
—Ganesh Rao, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2025
Our trip left me unpersuaded — especially given that around one in seven of the region’s jobs depend on tourism.
—Angus MacKinnon, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for depend on/upon
Cite this Entry
“Depend on/upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depend%20on%2Fupon. Accessed 9 Aug. 2025.
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