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

Our lives and property depend on knowing about a tornado watch or if a flash flood is happening. —Marshall Shepherd, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

Farmers who depend on tube wells, which pull water from aquifers for irrigation and are often diesel-powered, were putting up panels, too; diesel sales in the country dropped thirty per cent. —Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024

And for animals that depend on sound to communicate and to locate prey, this is a serious problem. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024

Those enhancements would benefit U.S. companies and consumers that depend on goods from abroad, the group added. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Dec. 2024