antidepressant

1 of 2

adjective

an·​ti·​de·​pres·​sant ˌan-tē-di-ˈpre-sᵊnt  ˌan-ˌtī- 

: used or tending to relieve or prevent depression

antidepressant drugs

antidepressant

2 of 2

noun

: an antidepressant drug see ssri, tricyclic antidepressant

Examples of antidepressant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

By comparison, minor electrode burns are the primary side effect sometimes reported from at-home tDCS devices—not nothing, but less disruptive to daily life than antidepressant medications, for instance. — IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026

Notably, most things known to have antidepressant effects increase brain plasticity—such as exercise, electroconvulsive therapy, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors prescribed as antidepressants, and psychedelic drugs. — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

Noun

Doctors also said certain antidepressants can help manage symptoms like hot flashes and depression in patients with either or both of these problems. — Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026

But treatment with standard antidepressants like SSRIs seems to be less effective, and causes more side effects. — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1961, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1962, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing antidepressant

• tricyclic antidepressant

Rhymes for antidepressant

• preadolescent
• acquiescent
• adolescent
• arborescent
• coalescent
• convalescent
• deliquescent
• effervescent
• evanescent
• incandescent
• iridescent
• luminescent

Medical Definition

antidepressant

1 of 2 adjective

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

variants also antidepressive

-ˈpres-iv 

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

an antidepressant drug

antidepressant treatment

antidepressant

2 of 2 noun

variants also antidepressive

: 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

called also energizer, psychic energizer, psychostimulant

see tricyclic antidepressant