antidepressant

American  

[an-tee-di-pres-uhnt, an-tahy-] / ˌæn ti dɪˈprɛs ənt, ˌæn taɪ- /

Also anti-depressant,

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.

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noun

antidepressants plural

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

antidepressant British  

/ ˌæntɪdɪˈprɛsənt /

noun

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

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adjective

1. of or relating to this class of drugs

antidepressant Scientific  

/ ăn′tē-dĭ-prĕs′ənt,ăn′tī- /

1. A drug used to prevent or treat depression.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• antidepressants
  plural

Etymology

Origin of antidepressant

First recorded in 1960–65; anti- + depressant

Explanation

An antidepressant is a drug used to treat depression. Unfortunately, many antidepressants have unwanted side effects. Depression is a form of extreme sadness, when you're so sad that it impairs your ability to function. Words starting with anti are the opposite or go against other things. Antidepressants, then, are drugs that fight depression. If you’re depressed, a doctor can prescribe an antidepressant such as Prozac or Zoloft. Antidepressants can improve your mood, but they often have side effects such as weight gain or headaches.

Example Sentences

Researchers found that seniors with depression who took a daily probiotic alongside their regular antidepressant treatment experienced modest but meaningful improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms compared with those who received a placebo.

From Science Daily • Jun. 17, 2026

These responses are necessary to educate the public about why antidepressant use is so common.

From Salon • May 18, 2026

Kennedy and some patient groups have found common ground, however, on one aspect of antidepressant use: side effects from stopping the drugs.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

One commonly prescribed antidepressant, Venlafaxine, is also on the concessions list.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

They’ve upped his antidepressant, which doesn’t seem to make him any less depressed, but helps him to forget that he is.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman