depress

de·press

transitive verb \di-ˈpres, dē-\

Definition of DEPRESS

1

obsolete : repress, subjugate

2

a : to press down <depress a typewriter key>

b : to cause to sink to a lower position

3

: to lessen the activity or strength of <drugs that may depress the appetite>

4

: sadden, discourage <don't let the news depress you>

5

: to decrease the market value or marketability of

— de·press·ible \-ˈpre-sə-bəl\ adjective

Examples of DEPRESS

1. The news seemed to depress him a little.
2. I don't mean to depress you, but there's no way we can win.
3. We were all depressed by the loss.
4. You shouldn't let this kind of problem depress you.
5. These changes could depress the economy.
6. Market conditions are likely to depress earnings in the next quarter.
7. depressing the price of a stock
8. Slowly depress the car's brake pedal.
9. Depress the “shift” key on your keyboard.
10. The doctor will depress your tongue and look at your throat.

Origin of DEPRESS

Middle English, from Middle French depresser, from Latin depressus, past participle of deprimere to press down, from de- + premere to press — more at press

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to DEPRESS

Synonyms

bum (out), burden, dash, deject, get down, oppress, sadden, weigh down

Antonyms

brighten, buoy, cheer (up), gladden, lighten, rejoice

Related Words

ail, distress, trouble; afflict, torment, torture; daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, get down, unnerve; agitate, bother, concern, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, disturb, exercise, freak (out), perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry

Near Antonyms

animate, enliven, invigorate; assure, comfort, console, reassure, solace, soothe; excite, inspire, stimulate; elate, exhilarate; encourage, hearten; delight, gratify, please; boost, elevate, lift, uplift

Rhymes with DEPRESS

abscess, access, address, aggress, assess, bench-press, caress, clothespress, coatdress, cold-press, compress, confess, cross-dress, CS, de-stress, digress, distress, drill press, egress, excess, express, finesse, fluoresce, French press, full-dress, handpress, headdress, housedress, idlesse, impress, ingress, Meknes, much less, nightdress, noblesse, no less, obsess, oppress, outguess, possess, precess, prestress, princess, process, profess, progress, recess, redress, regress, re-press, repress, shirtdress, side-dress, SS, success, sundress, suppress, tendresse, top-dress, transgress, undress, unless, web press, winepress, word stress

de·press

transitive verb \di-ˈpres\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of DEPRESS

1

: to diminish the activity, strength, or yield of <able to depress irritability of the heart muscle by the use of such a drug as procaine>

2

: to lower in spirit or mood