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 extent to which automation affects the job market will largely depend on how effectively economies can adjust to these shifts. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024

The final decision on Ohtani will depend on his pain tolerance swinging the bat. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024

Much will depend on whether new cases continue to spring up or level off. —Allison Morrow, CNN, 28 Oct. 2024

The scientific revolution did not depend on the constant replacement of spiritual explanations with mechanical ones—action at a distance hardly qualified as mechanical. —Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024