to depend upon

Examples

• All

• How much of a democracy any nation has depends upon the feelings of people toward others.

  Academic text (1999)

• We must remember always that accusation is not proof... ...and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law.

  Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)

• Because what you do depends upon who you are and what you know.

• Your life depends upon it.

  Ascendant (2021)

• My whole career depends upon it.

  Dangerous Curves (1988)

• Your job depends upon it.

  The Nutty Professor (1996)

• Everything depends upon news from Manchester.

  Grand Hotel (1932)

• So it really depends upon how quickly we can ramp up the number of tests.

• Willow Ufgood, the safety of this village depends upon you.

  Willow (1988)

• The globalized economy, like tourism, depends upon the maintenance of a center and a periphery.

  Academic text (2008)

Synonyms

D

to depend

vsto depend upon

∞ 1.1

To be decided by another thing, for example the weather

highlights contingency while the key uses a common phrasal structure

D

to depend on

vsto depend upon

819 1.7

Be affected or decided by something

is the same meaning but is the alternative preposition form

R

to rely

vsto depend upon

791 1.1

To trust someone or something to give you help

is about being contingent on conditions, not personal trust

C

to count on

vsto depend upon

700 1.8

To trust a person or thing to do what you need

expresses contingency generally rather than expectation of specific action

R

to rely on

vsto depend upon

602 1.0

Trust a person or thing to do what you expect

expresses contingency without implying trust or expectation of action

H

to hinge on

vsto depend upon

37 4.2

Need one thing to happen for another thing to be true

is used for contingency without implying total reliance

R

to rely upon

vsto depend upon

33 2.3

Trust someone or something to do what you need

focuses on contingency and causation rather than personal trust

T

to turn on

vsto depend upon

20 4.1

To depend on something

expresses the same contingency but in a more formal phrasal style

H

to hinge

vsto depend upon

12 4.3

To depend on something for a result

is broader, allowing partial influence rather than full determination

H

to hinge upon

vsto depend upon

• Formal

2 5.5

To depend completely on something for the result

shows contingency generally rather than total or exclusive reliance

H

to hang upon

vsto depend upon

5.4

Depend on something that decides the result

is the neutral phrasing used generally rather than formal variants

How Dependent

contingent on

12 6.4

to depend upon

67 2.3

to turn on

20 4.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology