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"dependence" is also used as a crossword clue. If that's what you saw, the answer is often reliance (8 letters).
Definitions
the state of relying on or being controlled by someone or something else
Word origin
From Middle French dépendance. Morphologically depend + -ence.
Used in a sentence
“He had a deep dependence on her for guidance.”
“Her dependence on cocaine led to her ruin.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer2 curated clues
01“Need for support”10 letters
02“Addiction”10 letters
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