Which to use
“dependency” is a noun and “dependent” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #14,509
- “dependency” frequency rank
- #4,440
- “dependent” frequency rank
- 18949
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | dependency | dependent |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A state of dependence; a refusal to exercise initiative. | Relying upon; depending upon. |
Where the eye mixes dependency and dependent
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 8 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: dependency vs dependent
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: dependency is /dɪˈpɛndənsi/ while dependent is /dɪˈpɛndənt/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 18949, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
dependency is recorded at frequency rank #14,509, classified as anoun, pronounced /dɪˈpɛndənsi/. dependent is at rank #4,440, tagged as anadj, pronounced /dɪˈpɛndənt/.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 18949, this pair ranks #441,511 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of dependency vs dependent
Shared letters: denp. Private to "dependency": cy. Private to "dependent": t.
"dependency" · 10 letters · shape CVCVCCVCCV · "dependent" · 9 letters · shape CVCVCCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- dependency ← ddependency · deepndency · depednency · dependdency · dependecny · dependenccy · dependencyy · dependenncy
- dependent ← ddependent · deepndent · depednent · dependdent · dependennt · dependentt · dependetn · dependnet
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "dependency" for "dependent" ever safe?
Which is more common, "dependency" or "dependent"?
Useful next steps
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "dependency" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "dependent" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #441,511 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "dependency" and "dependent" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "dependent vs despondent". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #441,511 of 530,003 scored English pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.