dependable

1 of 2

adjective

de·​pend·​able di-ˈpen-də-bəl How to pronounce dependable (audio)
Synonyms of dependable
: capable of being trusted or depended on : reliable
a dependable source of income
a dependable assistant
needs a dependable car for work
dependability
di-ˌpen-də-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce dependable (audio)
noun
dependableness noun
dependably
di-ˈpen-də-blē How to pronounce dependable (audio)
adverb

dependability

2 of 2

noun

de·​pend·​abil·​i·​ty də̇ˌpendəˈbilətē How to pronounce dependability (audio)
(ˌ)dēˌ-, 
-ətē, 
-i
plural -es
: the quality or state of being dependable

Synonyms of dependable

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Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of dependable in a Sentence

Adjective seeking a dependable person to look after their summer home in the off-season
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Clapp said the firm focuses on avoiding highly leveraged companies and floating-rate debt, instead favoring investments with dependable cash flows to support clients over the long term. — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026 While these machines don't push the envelope in any real way, they're designed to deliver dependable productivity for a long period of time. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026 These questions make support more dependable and help identify barriers colleagues may struggle to resolve alone. — Bala Sathyanarayanan, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026 For spacecraft operating far from Earth, dependable energy can determine how long instruments survive and how much science a mission can deliver. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dependable

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

depend + -able

First Known Use

Adjective

1735, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dependable was in 1735

Rhymes for dependable

See All Rhymes for dependable

Browse Nearby Words

dependability
dependable
dependableness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dependable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dependable. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dependable

adjective
de·​pend·​able di-ˈpen-də-bəl How to pronounce dependable (audio)
: capable of being depended on : trustworthy, reliable
a dependable car
dependability
-ˌpen-də-ˈbil-ət-ē How to pronounce dependable (audio)
noun
dependably
-ˈpen-də-blē How to pronounce dependable (audio)
adverb
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