"depend on only" vs "depend only on"

Question

"depend on only" vs "depend only on"

Both "depend only on" and "depend on only" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Depend only on" is more commonly used and emphasizes that the dependency is exclusive, while "depend on only" can be used to emphasize the restriction of the dependency.

Last Updated: April 04, 2024

This phrase can be used to emphasize the restriction of the dependency. It is less common but still grammatically correct.

Examples:

I can depend on only one person to help me with this task.
The company depends on only a few key clients for its revenue.

Alternatives:

rely on just
count on solely
trust in only
lean on exclusively

This phrase is used to emphasize that the dependency is exclusive and does not involve anything else. It is commonly used in sentences like "I depend only on myself for success."

Examples:

The success of the project depends only on your hard work.
She depends only on her family for support.
I depend only on my skills to get through tough situations.

Alternatives:

rely solely on
count exclusively on
trust entirely in
lean solely on

Answer 1

depend on only

This phrase is correct but less commonly used in English.

Answer 2

depend only on

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.