antidepressant

[ an-tee-di-pres-uhnt, an-tahy- ]

/ ˌæn ti dɪˈprɛs ənt, ˌæn taɪ- /

Pharmacology

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adjective

of or relating to a substance that is used in the treatment of mood disorders, as characterized by various manic or depressive affects.

noun

Also called energizer, psychic energizer. any such substance, as a tricyclic antidepressant, MAO inhibitor, or lithium.

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Also an·ti-de·pres·sant, an·ti·de·pres·sive

[an-tee-di-pres-iv, an-tahy-]. /ˌæn ti dɪˈprɛs ɪv, ˌæn taɪ-/.

Origin of antidepressant

First recorded in 1960–65; anti- + depressant

Words nearby antidepressant

anticyclolysis, anticyclone, anticyclonic, antidazzle mirror, antidemocratic, antidepressant, antidepressants, antiderivative, antidesiccant, antideuteron, antidisestablishmentarian

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use antidepressant in a sentence

It’s also that drugs like traditional antidepressants are, at best, only a partial solution.
The case for funding psychedelics to treat mental health|Sigal Samuel|October 9, 2020|Vox
Prescriptions for antidepressants, anti-anxiety and anti-insomnia medications shot up 21 percent between February and March, according to Elemental.
What mental health professionals have learned six months into pandemic care|Marion Renault|October 8, 2020|Popular-Science
When I was just a trainee, Dennis Charney had started what was a very early research program in looking at whether ketamine could have rapid antidepressant effects.
How Are Psychedelics and Other Party Drugs Changing Psychiatry? (Ep. 433)|Stephen J. Dubner|October 1, 2020|Freakonomics
A form of ketamine, if you will, a so-called enantiomer called esketamine, was approved last year as an antidepressant.
How Are Psychedelics and Other Party Drugs Changing Psychiatry? (Ep. 433)|Stephen J. Dubner|October 1, 2020|Freakonomics

The chemical messenger has become key to one common class of antidepressant drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
50 years ago, an experimental drug hinted at serotonin’s many roles in the brain|Lisa Grossman|September 29, 2020|Science News
However, it can interfere seriously with blood thinners and should never be taken with other antidepressant drugs.
Fish Oil, Turmeric, and Ginseng, Oh My! Are ‘Brain Foods’ B.S.?|Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD|October 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She began to attend therapy and to see a psychiatrist, who prescribed an antidepressant.
One Breakdown Can Mean Losing Your Kid Forever|ProPublica|May 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
[It] does not resemble standard antipsychotic, antidepressant, antianxiety or hypnotic drugs in simple drug interaction tests.
How Pfizer Helped Make ‘Spice,’ The Deadly Fake Pot|Abby Haglage|May 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“A doctor would never prescribe more than one antidepressant,” says Dr. Frank Vaccaro, a prominent New York psychiatrist.
Did Antidepressants Contribute to Mary Richardson Kennedy’s Suicide?|Laurence Leamer|July 8, 2012|DAILY BEAST
"Antidepressant drugs, for me, they're like antibiotics ," he says.
Do Antidepressants Make You Sad?|Casey Schwartz|June 15, 2011|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for antidepressant

antidepressant

/ (ˌæntɪdɪˈprɛsənt) /

noun

any of a class of drugs used to alleviate depression

adjective

of or relating to this class of drugs

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for antidepressant

antidepressant

[ ăn′tē-dĭ-prĕs′ənt, ăn′tī- ]

A drug used to prevent or treat depression.