depress

[ dih-pres ]

/ dɪˈprɛs /

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verb (used with object)

to make sad or gloomy; lower in spirits; deject; dispirit.

to lower in force, vigor, activity, etc.; weaken; make dull.

to lower in amount or value.

to put into a lower position: to depress the muzzle of a gun.

to press down.

Music. to lower in pitch.

Nearby words

depreciate, depreciation, depreciatory, depredate, depredation, depress, depressant, depressed, depressed area, depressed skull fracture, depressing

Origin of depress

1275–1325; Middle English depressen < Anglo-French, Old French depresser < Latin dēpressus pressed down (past participle of dēprimere, equivalent to de- de- + -primere, combining form of premere to press); see pressure

SYNONYMS FOR depress

1 dishearten, discourage, sadden. See oppress.

3 devalue, cheapen.

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ANTONYMS FOR depress

4 raise, elevate.

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Related forms

de·press·i·ble, adjectivede·press·i·bil·i·ty, nouno·ver·de·press, verb (used with object)un·de·press·i·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for depress

It is not enough for him to go negative and depress enthusiasm for Cucinnelli; he must find a way to actively energize Dems.
How Terry McAuliffe and the Dems Lost Virginia|Michelle Cottle|May 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
They were part of a vast left-wing media conspiracy to depress GOP turnout.
Who’s Skewed Now? Beaten GOP Wakes Up to the Real America|Andrew Romano|November 8, 2012|DAILY BEAST
So they depress the economy further—and this reduces revenues, wiping out at least part of the attempted deficit reduction.
Paul Krugman: Austerity Is So Wrong!|Paul Krugman|May 6, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He everywhere endeavoured to depress the nobility, and advance the baser sort of the people.
Old English Chronicles|Various

You may imagine, then, it tended much more to depress than exhilarate my spirits.
Italy; with sketches of Spain and Portugal|William Beckford
Here, also, they saw the graves of the poor fellows who fell at that time, but the sight did not depress the men much.
Blue Lights|R.M. Ballantyne
The poor laws of England tend to depress the general condition of the poor in two ways.
The World's Greatest Books--Volume 14--Philosophy and Economics|Various
Its most obvious action in small doses is to depress the force of the heart.
The Action of Medicines in the System|Frederick William Headland

British Dictionary definitions for depress

depress

/ (dɪˈprɛs) /

verb (tr)

to lower in spirits; make gloomy; deject

to weaken or lower the force, vigour, or energy of

to lower prices of (securities or a security market)

to press or push down

to lower the pitch of (a musical sound)

obsolete to suppress or subjugate

Derived Forms

depressible, adjective

Word Origin for depress

C14: from Old French depresser, from Latin dēprimere from de- + premere to press 1

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

Medicine definitions for depress

depress

[ dĭ-prĕs′ ]

v.

To lower in spirits; deject.

To cause to drop or sink; lower.

To press down.

To lessen the activity or force of something.