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depressant

[ dih-pres-uh nt ]
/ dɪˈprɛs ənt /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR depressant ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

Medicine/Medical. having the quality of depressing or lowering the vital activities; sedative.
causing a lowering in spirits; dejecting.
causing a drop in value; economically depressing.

noun

Medicine/Medical. a sedative.Compare stimulant(def 1).
Chemistry. any agent capable of diminishing a specific property of a substance.

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RELATED WORDS

intoxicant, tranquilizer, downer, relaxant

Nearby words

  1. depreciation,
  2. depreciatory,
  3. depredate,
  4. depredation,
  5. depress,
  6. depressed,
  7. depressed area,
  8. depressed skull fracture,
  9. depressing,
  10. depression

Origin of depressant

First recorded in 1875–80; depress + -ant
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for depressant

British Dictionary definitions for depressant

depressant

/ (dɪˈprɛsənt) /

adjective

med able to diminish or reduce nervous or functional activity
causing gloom or dejection; depressing

noun

a depressant drug
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 depressant

depressant

n.

"sedative," 1876 as a noun, 1887 as an adjective; see depress + -ant.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for depressant

depressant

[ dĭ-prĕs′ənt ]

adj.

Tending to lower the rate of vital physiological activities.

n.

An agent, especially a drug, that decreases the rate of vital physiological activities.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.