depress

de·press

verb \di-ˈpres, dē-\

Definition of DEPRESS

transitive verb

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

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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