depress

[dih-pres]

verb (used with object)

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

   Synonyms: sadden, discourage, dishearten

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

3. to lower in amount or value.

   Synonyms: cheapen, devalue

4. to put into a lower position.

   to depress the muzzle of a gun.

   Antonyms: elevate, raise

5. to press down.

6. Music.,  to lower in pitch.

depress

/ dɪˈprɛs /

verb

1. to lower in spirits; make gloomy; deject

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

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

4. to press or push down

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

6. obsolete,  to suppress or subjugate

Other Word Forms

• depressible adjective
• depressibility noun
• overdepress verb (used with object)
• undepressible adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of depress¹

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”); pressure

Word History and Origins

Origin of depress¹

C14: from Old French depresser, from Latin dēprimere from _de- + premere to _press ¹

Synonym Study

See oppress.

Example Sentences

A depressed nation in need of a hero has set its hopes on the shoulders of a comic with problem knees, gliding forth with the surprising and entirely explainable resurgence of ABC’s veteran reality competition.

Read more on Salon

But I think the experiment of America so far is showing that if you give people more and more, they just start getting more and more depressed and distant from their feelings.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And the complaints came through loud and clear: High and constantly shifting tariffs have raised costs, depressed sales and pressured companies to lay off employees.

Read more on MarketWatch

And the complaints came through loud and clear: High and constantly shifting tariffs have raised costs, depressed sales and pressured companies to lay off employees.

Read more on MarketWatch

I became more and more nervous and depressed.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• afflict 
• beat down 
• bother 
• damp 
• dampen 
• daunt 
• discourage 
• dishearten 
• dismay 
• dispirit 
• disturb 
• dull 
• lower 
• reduce 
• sadden 
• sap 
• slow 
• trouble 
• upset 
• weaken