dependent

This word carries a strong sense of vulnerability or lack of autonomy. When applied to people, it often suggests a power imbalance, where one party holds the resources and the other is subject to their will or generosity. It can range from the natural bond between a parent and infant to the clinical context of substance addiction. In technical or logical contexts, the word shifts from a feeling of need to a strict causal relationship. It describes a chain of events where one outcome cannot happen without the prior occurrence of another, removing the emotional weight of helplessness and replacing it with a mechanical requirement.