antidepressant

Also anti-de·pressant,

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

adjective

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

noun

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

antidepressant

/ ˌæntɪdɪˈprɛsənt /

noun

1. any of a class of drugs used to alleviate depression

adjective

1. of or relating to this class of drugs

antidepressant

1. A drug used to prevent or treat depression.

Word History and Origins

Origin of antidepressant¹

First recorded in 1960–65; anti- + depressant

Example Sentences

“I was living in a body hijacked by the medication,” said Gansky, 29, who is still struggling to wean herself off an antidepressant.

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Some patients, like Jon, said that using medical cannabis gave them the benefits they'd hoped to get from medication such as antidepressants.

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Other stories we feature include the rise and fall of the 40-hour workweek, the fermented-food boom and a reality check on antidepressants.

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No. Doctors say antidepressants—SSRIs as well as other classes—show none of the telltale signs of addictive substances.

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This discovery opens the door to a new type of antidepressant that blocks SGK1 activity and may be more effective for people who were neglected or abused as children.

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