depress

[ dih-pres ]
See synonyms for: depressdepresseddepressesdepressing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to make sad or gloomy; lower in spirits; deject; dispirit.

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

  1. to lower in amount or value.

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

  3. to press down.

  4. Music. to lower in pitch.

Origin of depress

1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English depressen, from Anglo-French, Old French depresser, from Latin dēpressus “pressed down” (past participle of dēprimere, equivalent to de-de- + -primere, combining form of premere “to press”); see pressure

synonym study For depress

1. See oppress.

Other words for depress

Opposites for depress

Other words from depress

  • de·press·i·ble, adjective
  • de·press·i·bil·i·ty, noun
  • o·ver·de·press, verb (used with object)
  • un·de·press·i·ble, adjective

Words Nearby depress

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use depress in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for depress

depress

/ (dɪˈprɛs) /


verb(tr)
  1. to lower in spirits; make gloomy; deject

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

  1. to lower prices of (securities or a security market)

  2. to press or push down

  3. to lower the pitch of (a musical sound)

  4. obsolete to suppress or subjugate

Origin of depress

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

Derived forms of depress

  • depressible, adjective

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