DEPENDENCY Synonyms: 20 Similar and Opposite Words

dependency

noun

di-ˈpen-dən(t)-sē

Definition of dependency

as in dependence

the quality or state of needing something or someone she was concerned about his heavy dependency on coffee to get him moving in the morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of dependency That strategy, designed to feed riders to trains and buses while lessening dependency on cars, led to the creation of Downtown Dadeland and clusters of towers and shops now rising around transit stations. — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026 Geopolitical tensions are bringing critical dependencies and chokepoints into sharper focus, while Europe faces growing security threats on its doorstep. — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026 In the throes of postpartum depression after having her daughter, Kaya, Panettiere became addicted to alcohol and Klonopin, a prescription drug that can treat anxiety and seizure disorders but has a risk of dependency and withdrawal symptoms. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026 The resulting dependencies on China would cause the United States and its partners to slide down the global value chain into real estate, tourism, commodities, finance, and perhaps transnational tax evasion. — Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dependency

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dependency

Noun

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been working intensively to reduce their dependence on the strait, building pipelines and investing in storage facilities to transport their oil by other routes.

— Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
The Pohang project is also part of a broader strategy to expand magnet manufacturing capacity while reducing dependence on China for critical rare earth magnet supply.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of dependence

Noun

The partnership is intended to revitalize the refinery, support more than 500 American jobs and reduce US reliance on overseas suppliers for strategically important materials.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
The deal would also help Nvidia protect its dominant position in AI chips, which has been somewhat under threat as major tech peers build out their own chips to reduce their reliance on Nvidia hardware.

— Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of reliance

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dependencies

dependency

dependent

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“Dependency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dependency. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of dependency

noun

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