variants also dependance
1
as in dependency
the quality or state of needing something or someone a baby's total dependence upon his or her parents for every one of life's needs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in addiction
a physiological need for certain drugs acquired a dependence on prescription painkillers following back surgery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dependence Davidson thinks this sock brand could be the business venture that finally breaks his dependence on Hollywood. —
Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026 The Habit-Forming Side Of Sleep Aids Melatonin does not appear to cause physical dependence or withdrawal the way some prescription sleep medications do, per the Cleveland Clinic. —Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 16 Apr. 2026 Melatonin Dependence And Tolerance Melatonin does not cause physical dependence or withdrawal the way prescription sleep medications do, according to the Cleveland Clinic. —Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2026 What Long-Term Use Actually Does Melatonin doesn’t create physical dependence like prescription sleep medications. —Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dependence
Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026 The Habit-Forming Side Of Sleep Aids Melatonin does not appear to cause physical dependence or withdrawal the way some prescription sleep medications do, per the Cleveland Clinic. —Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 16 Apr. 2026 Melatonin Dependence And Tolerance Melatonin does not cause physical dependence or withdrawal the way prescription sleep medications do, according to the Cleveland Clinic. —Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2026 What Long-Term Use Actually Does Melatonin doesn’t create physical dependence like prescription sleep medications. —Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dependence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dependence
Noun
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His mental health has severely deteriorated, his financial situation is terrible, and his drug dependency is at its worst.— Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
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The developer just adds it to their dependencies and calls a function to wrap the key.— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Saudi Arabia’s government has reduced its reliance on oil revenue by introducing taxes and fees, but the kingdom’s ambitions have still grown faster than the new sources of revenue forcing the country to become more pragmatic, The New York Times’ Vivian Nereim reports.— Alaa Shahine Salha, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
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The weather up there can be tempestuous in the winter, so the property’s operators aim to store energy during peak daylight hours to reduce their overall reliance on fuel during their busiest times.— Laura Dannen Redman, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And what fame gave me, what addiction fueled was opportunity for endless consent, which led me to be a hedonist and a fool and an exploiter of women.— Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
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For me, Storage Wars was an addiction and Darrell was the loveable loser who was always looking for that $40 bill in a pile of junk.— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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One of the area’s top two-way threats last spring, the senior left-hander/first baseman has been good enough to still be an anchor in the Blackhawks’ batting order and atop the pitching rotation.— Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026
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Because of the historic nature, as the first female to do that job as a solo anchor, a soft launch was pretty impossible.— Michael Schneider, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If that’s the digital backbone, manufacturers are now racing to fix the physical side of the equation.— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 21 Apr. 2026
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The electrician wiring a data center is building the backbone of the AI boom, where a single error can cost millions in downtime.— Sydney Lake, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Downriver from the Shoshone Falls are the Pillar Falls, a low waterfall split by rock pillars.— Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2026
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As their mutual competitiveness grows shockingly ugly, Niall learns to turn Ruben’s Samsonian strength and fury against him, knocking down the pillars of Ruben’s own life.— Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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From ordering groceries to using AI to write for us, the digital world has become a facilitator but also a crutch.— Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 20 Apr. 2026
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In some ways, these formal elements could serve as a crutch for the show, the main distinguishing feature in its arsenal.— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Neighbors described the victim as a mainstay in the community, friendly and generous to regular customers, and the shooter as someone who’d been kicked out of the store before.— Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
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This specialized category of exercise made its way into fitness centers around 2000, and it's been a mainstay since.— Matt Parrott, Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dependence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/dependence. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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