depress

[dih-pres]

See more synonyms for depress on Thesaurus.com

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.

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

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

Synonyms for depress

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com

1. dishearten, discourage, sadden. See oppress. 3. devalue, cheapen.

Antonyms for depress

4. raise, elevate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for depress

dismay, discourage, slow, dampen, dispirit, sadden, disturb, bother, upset, afflict, reduce, lower, dishearten, damp, daunt, trouble, sap, dull, weaken, impair

Examples from the Web for depress

Contemporary Examples of 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
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
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

Historical Examples of depress

They may be necessary—as buffers—but they depress us by their dulness.
Mountain Meditations
L. Lind-af-Hageby
It only needed a great shock to depress him to make his case hopeless.
Sir Brook Fossbrooke, Volume I.
Charles James Lever
Wade did not depress the muzzle, if I recollect aright, at all.
Left on Labrador
Charles Asbury Stephens
Her manner at the same time seemed to depress him and yet to fill him with hope.
Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo
E. Phillips Oppenheim
Alone of all superiors, the saint does not depress the human dignity of others.
A Short History of England
G. K. Chesterton

British Dictionary definitions for depress

depress

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 Formsdepressible, 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

Word Origin and History for depress

early 14c., "put down by force," from Old French depresser, from Late Latin depressare, frequentative of Latin deprimere "press down," from de- "down" (see de-) + premere "to press" (see press (v.1)).

Meaning "push down physically" is from early 15c.; that of "deject, make gloomy" is from 1620s; economic sense of "lower in value" is from 1878. Related: Depressed; depressing.

depress in Medicine

depress

[dĭ-prĕs′]

To lower in spirits; deject.
To cause to drop or sink; lower.
To press down.
To lessen the activity or force of something.