depressing

adjective

de·​press·​ing di-ˈpre-siŋ How to pronounce depressing (audio)
dē-
: that depresses
especially : causing emotional depression
a depressing story
depressingly adverb

Examples of depressing in a Sentence

This rainy weather is depressing. He paints a depressing picture of modern life.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His 300th was in a depressing environment — at an empty stadium, in the first game of a seven-inning doubleheader in 2020. Sam Blum, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025 The revelation is as depressing as a leverage penalty. Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025 And eating the same thing four days in a row can even get downright depressing. Olivia Tarantino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Sep. 2025 As the muted film builds to its depressing and inevitable conclusion — would either of these guys ever star in a romance that works out? Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for depressing

Word History

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of depressing was in 1629

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Depressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depressing. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on depressing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!