depressed
Americanadjective
-
sad and gloomy; dejected; downcast.
- Synonyms:
- morbid, blue, miserable, despondent, morose
- Antonyms:
- happy
-
pressed down, or situated lower than the general surface.
-
lowered in force, amount, etc.
-
undergoing economic hardship, especially poverty and unemployment.
-
being or measured below the standard or norm.
-
Botany, Zoology. flattened down; greater in width than in height.
-
Psychiatry. having or experiencing depression.
adjective
-
low in spirits; downcast; despondent
-
lower than the surrounding surface
-
pressed down or flattened
-
Also: distressed. characterized by relative economic hardship, such as unemployment
a depressed area
-
lowered in force, intensity, or amount
-
(of plant parts) flattened as though pressed from above
-
zoology flattened from top to bottom
the depressed bill of the spoonbill
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of depressed
From a late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at depress, -ed 2
Explanation
When stocks are depressed they are worth less than they should be. When people are depressed they are sad and lack energy. Depressed means down in spirit or value. While you'll often hear people say they are depressed, mostly they mean they are sad. If you are clinically depressed, you have a sadness and hopelessness that has physical effects and no logical reason behind it and you can't seem to shake it either. If someone calls their town or region depressed, they mean that the economy in that area is not good — in that place jobs are hard to find, and have been for quite a while. Sad, right?
Vocabulary lists containing depressed
The Diary of Anne Frank
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Esperanza Rising
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
However, the forecast predicts that AI investment will begin to produce job gains next year and in 2028, even as the cuts have depressed California’s jobs picture.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
The funny thing is, it doesn’t just make you depressed about plastic surgery and sad women and sleazy TV executives.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026
Mortgage rates surged to roughly a three-year high, a fresh setback for an already depressed housing market.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
Berkshire Hathaway, which owns several homebuilders, appears to have taken advantage of Lennar’s depressed stock price.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
Camille has been angry with Mom all summer, convinced of her guilt in a way that both surprised and depressed me.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
