antidepressant

adjective

an·ti·de·pres·sant | \ -di-ˈpre-sᵊnt

Definition of antidepressant

(Entry 1 of 2)

: used or tending to relieve or prevent depression antidepressant drugs

antidepressant

noun

Definition of antidepressant (Entry 2 of 2)

: an antidepressant drug — see ssri, tricyclic antidepressant

Examples of antidepressant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

In interviews, dozens of people who had experienced antidepressant withdrawal recounted similar stories: The drugs often relieved mood problems, at first. — Benedict Carey And Robert Gebeloff, BostonGlobe.com, "Long-term use of antidepressants is surging in the US," 9 Apr. 2018 There’s every reason to think that tinkering with that receptor system could have antidepressant effects, and it’s never been systematically manipulated in that way. — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "I Hacked My Body So You Don't Have To," 25 June 2018 In interviews, dozens of people who had experienced antidepressant withdrawal recounted similar stories: The drugs often relieved mood problems, at first. — Benedict Carey And Robert Gebeloff, BostonGlobe.com, "Long-term use of antidepressants is surging in the US," 9 Apr. 2018 In interviews, dozens of people who had experienced antidepressant withdrawal recounted similar stories: The drugs often relieved mood problems, at first. — Benedict Carey And Robert Gebeloff, BostonGlobe.com, "Long-term use of antidepressants is surging in the US," 9 Apr. 2018 In interviews, dozens of people who had experienced antidepressant withdrawal recounted similar stories: The drugs often relieved mood problems, at first. — Benedict Carey And Robert Gebeloff, BostonGlobe.com, "Long-term use of antidepressants is surging in the US," 9 Apr. 2018 In interviews, dozens of people who had experienced antidepressant withdrawal recounted similar stories: The drugs often relieved mood problems, at first. — Benedict Carey And Robert Gebeloff, BostonGlobe.com, "Long-term use of antidepressants is surging in the US," 9 Apr. 2018 In interviews, dozens of people who had experienced antidepressant withdrawal recounted similar stories: The drugs often relieved mood problems, at first. — Benedict Carey And Robert Gebeloff, BostonGlobe.com, "Long-term use of antidepressants is surging in the US," 9 Apr. 2018 In interviews, dozens of people who had experienced antidepressant withdrawal recounted similar stories: The drugs often relieved mood problems, at first. — Benedict Carey And Robert Gebeloff, BostonGlobe.com, "Long-term use of antidepressants is surging in the US," 9 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Esketamine, which the FDA approved to be taken along with an oral antidepressant, will be marketed under the name Spravato. — Korin Miller, SELF, "What You Need to Know About Esketamine, the First Nasal Spray Approved to Treat Depression," 7 Mar. 2019 The number of people taking an open-ended prescription for an antidepressant is at a historic high. — New York Times, "How Suicide Quietly Morphed Into a Public Health Crisis," 8 June 2018 Then, Walsh says the doctor offered a prescription for antidepressants. — Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "Kate Walsh Had to Convince a Doctor to Give Her the MRI That Revealed Her Brain Tumor," 25 Apr. 2018 According to Psychology Today, treatment for symptoms of SAD include combinations of antidepressant medication, light therapy, Vitamin D, and counseling. — Maya Mcdowell, House Beautiful, "8 Ways to Feel Happier at Home When Winter’s Bringing You Down," 15 Feb. 2019 All were free of depression at the start of the study, and over the following four years 2,581 of them developed depression, defined by antidepressant use or a clinical diagnosis. — Nicholas Bakalar, New York Times, "Night Owls May Have Higher Depression Risk," 20 June 2018 But then rates of antidepressant use went up more among women who had children than among those who did not. — NBC News, "Abortion does not cause depression, new study finds," 30 May 2018 Another recent study focused on treatment: not just any treatment but bupropion, an antidepressant often used in smoking cessation. — Benedict Carey, New York Times, "Endless Gaming May Be a Bad Habit. That Doesn’t Make It a Mental Illness.," 2 July 2018 The next-best treatment for most people would be an antidepressant or a low dose of a benzodiazepine. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "There’s an Anxiety Drug Shortage—Here’s What You Need to Know," 11 Feb. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'antidepressant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for antidepressant

antidepressant

noun

English Language Learners Definition of antidepressant

medical : a drug that is used to relieve or prevent depression in a person

See the full definition for antidepressant in the English Language Learners Dictionary

antidepressant

adjective

an·ti·de·pres·sant | \ ˌant-i-di-ˈpres-ᵊnt, ˌan-ˌtī-

variants: also antidepressive \ -ˈpres-iv

Medical Definition of antidepressant

(Entry 1 of 2)

: used or tending to relieve or prevent psychological depression : relating to, being, or utilizing an antidepressant an antidepressant drug antidepressant treatment

antidepressant

noun

variants: also antidepressive

Medical Definition of antidepressant (Entry 2 of 2)

: a drug used to treat psychological depression : an antidepressant drug The dual-action antidepressant venlafaxine appears to demonstrate superior efficacy and higher rates of remission in severe depression as compared with either SSRIs such as fluoxetine or tricyclic antidepressants.— John Mann, The New England Journal of Medicine, 27 Oct. 2005

— called also energizer, psychic energizer, psychostimulant

— see tricyclic antidepressant