Dependent means relying on someone or something else for support, help, or survival. A baby is completely dependent on its parents for food, shelter, and care. A plant is dependent on sunlight and water to grow. When you're dependent on something, you need it to function properly.

The word often describes relationships where one person or thing cannot manage alone. Young children are dependent on adults to keep them safe and healthy. As people grow up, they usually become more independent, meaning they can take care of themselves. But even adults remain dependent on certain things: we're all dependent on oxygen to breathe, farmers to grow food, and communities to provide roads, schools, and hospitals.

In families, parents claim children as dependents on their taxes because those children rely on them financially. You might say your phone battery life is dependent on how many apps you're running, meaning one thing directly affects the other.

The opposite of dependent is independent, though being dependent isn't always bad. Working together and depending on each other is part of how families, teams, and communities function. A dependent (noun) is a person who relies on others; dependency is the state of being dependent.