interdependence
noun
in·ter·de·pen·dence
| \ Ëin-tÉr-di-Ëpen-dÉn(t)s
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variants:
or interdependency \ Ëin-tÉr-di-Ëpen-dÉn(t)-sÄ
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plural interdependences
or interdependencies
Definition of interdependence
1
: the state of being dependent upon one another : mutual dependence
interdependence of the two nations' economies ⊠a form of symbiosis, of close mutual interdependence of two species of organisms.— Marston Bates ⊠the deep psychological interdependence between ourselves and those we love.— Judith A. Savage ⊠understood the interdependence of mental, physical, and spiritual health.— Donald N. Levine But plants happen to grow in these little universes we call ecosystems, where they are sustained by complex webs of interdependency with fungi, microbes, animals, and other plants.— Kenneth Brower
2
: a mutually dependent relationship
Growing global interdependencies further muddy the debate, making it harder to know who "we" are and what "our" national interests really are.— Peter H. Schuck There are complex interdependences among these factors ⊗ Victor H. Benenberg
Examples of interdependence in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For disabled people, independence cannot exist without interdependence. — Alex Haagaard, Quartz, "âQueer Eyeâ demonstrates how we can show disability, but still fail to represent it," 22 July 2019 Booker, elected to the senate in 2013, spoke generally of civic engagement and community interdependence with a quasi-religious fervor before tackling more specific policy proposals in a question-and-answer period with voters. — Jeremy C. Fox, BostonGlobe.com, "Booker, on swing through New Hampshire, says âitâs not about partisanshipâ," 13 July 2019 The situation between Japan and South Korea is particularly fluid, given the interdependence of Japanese electronics manufacturers and Korean memory producers. — Jacky Wong, WSJ, "Memory Boost Unlikely to Last," 12 July 2019 In an ideal world, Greenâs dream is about self-resilience and a desire for interdependence for communities of color. — Cheryl Morrow, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Someone San Diego Should Know: Olivia Green," 8 July 2019 By contrast, wishing others well helps us to recognize our interdependence, thereby fostering a greater sense of connectedness. — The Conversation, oregonlive.com, "Does Alex Trebek prove âthoughts and prayersâ actually work?," 22 June 2019 Since the 1990s, and especially since the return of Hong Kongâs sovereignty to mainland China in 1997, the fortunes of Hong Kongâs business elites have become increasingly linked to the mainland as investment and economic interdependence deepened. — Bethany Allen-ebrahimian, The New Republic, "The Depressing Reality Behind Hong Kongâs Protests," 20 June 2019 The movie, a dramatization of life in the Chino prison, depicts friendships forged across racial lines and built on trust and interdependence. — Dana Walters, The Conversation, "When America had an open prison â the story of Kenyon Scudder and his âprison without wallsâ," 14 June 2019 Mid-century American political culture was dominated by New Deal thinking, which prized everything that Rand despised: the welfare state, empathy, interdependence. — Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, "The Persistent Ghost of Ayn Rand, the Forebear of Zombie Neoliberalism," 6 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'interdependence.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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