depend purely on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "depend purely on" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when emphasizing that something relies entirely on a specific factor or condition. Example: "The success of the project will depend purely on the team's ability to collaborate effectively."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

The answer, as always, will depend purely on expectations, though Mr. Nevins's characterization of "a very honest ending" is unlikely to be widely challenged.

The New York Times - Arts

Although methods of incorporating them back into the host are available, current constructs depend purely on diffusion which limits their potential.

Biomaterials

Good games for the next generation will depend purely on the imagination of their creators rather than the raw power of the consoles, while uninspiring games will continue to be disguised by ever prettier visuals.

The Guardian - Tech

Theoretically, this should depend purely on whether or not someone is a good enough player, but tests have shown that using a screen, so that those assessing the candidate's skill can't see what gender (or ethnicity) they are, means that there's a 50% greater likelihood of a woman advancing to the finals.

The Guardian - Money

This is complicated because it doesn't depend purely on us.

Forbes

Any price change in the segment will depend purely on demand and supply.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

It's only when the science of the rescue mission is all done and what remains depends purely on human execution, beyond the reach of mission control, that one scientist turns to an engineer named Vincent Kapoor (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor), and asks whether he believes in God.

The New Yorker

By the 1970s the play was recognised as a classic, described in The Times as a "dazzling achievement; like The Importance of Being Earnest, it is pure comedy with no mission but to delight, and it depends purely on the interplay of characters, not on elaborate comic machinery".

Wikipedia

The output depends purely on the value of the inputs.

Design Recipes for FPGAs

What happens to you, even with the same diagnosis, depends purely on where you live … that's just going to make you feel helpless and hopeless".

The Guardian

You would think it depends purely on your own point of view, but you end up being influenced by the group.

Harvard Business Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "depend purely on" to emphasize that a specific outcome or result is solely determined by one factor. This highlights the critical importance of that single element.

Common error

Avoid using "depend purely on" when multiple factors influence an outcome. In such cases, use phrases like "depend primarily on" or "depend significantly on" to acknowledge the other contributing elements.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "depend purely on" functions as a verb phrase indicating that an outcome or result is exclusively determined by a single factor. This implies a strong causal relationship where no other influences are considered.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "depend purely on" is grammatically correct and functions to emphasize that an outcome is exclusively determined by a single factor. As Ludwig AI indicates, it appears across various contexts, particularly in science and news media, with a neutral to formal register. While there are various alternatives, like "rely solely on" and "hinge entirely on", the key is to use "depend purely on" when you want to strongly highlight the exclusive importance of one specific element. It's uncommon but usable, adding precision to your writing when used correctly.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rely solely on

Emphasizes exclusive reliance, similar to "depend purely on".

hinge entirely on

Highlights that the outcome completely depends on a specific factor.

rest exclusively on

Indicates that something is based only on a particular aspect.

be contingent solely upon

A more formal way of saying something is conditional only on something else.

be determined solely by

Indicates that a specific element has complete influence over the result.

be governed exclusively by

Implies that the only rule or factor that matters is a particular one.

be subject only to

Highlights that a condition is exclusively influenced or restricted by one factor.

be predicated entirely on

A formal way to say something is based entirely on a certain thing.

be susceptible exclusively to

Implies a sole vulnerability to something.

answer entirely to

Meaning be responsible to, or influenced by only, a single thing

FAQs

How can I use "depend purely on" in a sentence?

You can use "depend purely on" to emphasize that something relies entirely on a specific factor. For example, "The success of the project will "depend purely on" the team's ability to collaborate effectively."

What phrases are similar to "depend purely on"?

You can use alternatives like "rely solely on", "hinge entirely on", or "rest exclusively on" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "depends purely on" instead of "depend purely on"?

Yes, "depends purely on" is correct when the subject is singular. For example, "The outcome "depends purely on" his decision."

What's the difference between "depend purely on" and "depend primarily on"?

"Depend purely on" suggests that only one factor is relevant, while "depend primarily on" indicates that one factor is most important but others may also have an impact.