interdependence

noun

in·​ter·​de·​pen·​dence ˌin-tər-di-ˈpen-dən(t)s 

variants or interdependency

ˌin-tər-di-ˈpen-dən(t)-sē 

plural interdependences or interdependencies

1

: the state of being dependent upon one another : mutual dependence

interdependence of the two nations' economies

… a form of symbiosis, of close mutual interdependence of two species of organisms.

—Marston Bates

… the deep psychological interdependence between ourselves and those we love.

—Judith A. Savage

… understood the interdependence of mental, physical, and spiritual health.

—Donald N. Levine

But plants happen to grow in these little universes we call ecosystems, where they are sustained by complex webs of interdependency with fungi, microbes, animals, and other plants.

—Kenneth Brower

2

: a mutually dependent relationship

Growing global interdependencies further muddy the debate, making it harder to know who "we" are and what "our" national interests really are.

—Peter H. Schuck

There are complex interdependences among these factors …

—Victor H. Benenberg

Examples of interdependence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, new shocks and crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted vulnerabilities associated with deep economic interdependence. —Emily Kilcrease, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2025

The ongoing dispute highlights the deep interdependence between the U.S. government and SpaceX. Trump has threatened to cut SpaceX's federal contracts. —Scott Neuman, NPR, 7 June 2025

Normalizing help-seeking behavior—whether asking for feedback, delegating appropriately or acknowledging limitations—creates cultures where interdependence is valued over heroic individualism. —Jeremy Bradley-Silverio Donato, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025

One built not on ideology, but on common interests, cooperation, and global interdependence. —Elena Bou, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for interdependence

• superintendence
• ascendance
• attendance
• dependance
• dependence
• transcendence
• tendance