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 plans will depend on the nature of the crisis, what needs to be done to end the crisis, and the steps that are necessary to bounce back from it, But don’t stop there. —Edward Segal, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024

That will all depend on the options available to them and negotiations. —Sam Lee, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024

The cost of an LLC can depend on your state’s filing fee, which can range anywhere from $50 to a few hundred dollars. —Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 26 Dec. 2024

Further responses will depend on the scale and impact of future Russian actions. —Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024