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 humorously

I 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

The industry has contributed to a massive wave of consolidation: different music-adjacent industries and ecosystems that previously operated in isolation all suddenly depend on royalties from the same platforms. —Liz Pelly, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025

Modi’s continued rule would depend on the cooperation of coalition allies. —Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2025

Han Boxiao, Vivo COO, did say the timing of the full release of the headset will depend on there being a sufficiently healthy software ecosystem behind it to back it up. —Andrew Williams, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024

How much Trump relies on the 1998 law in the early months of his second term could depend on his legislative priorities. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2024