depressing

adjective

de·​press·​ing di-ˈpre-siŋ How to pronounce depressing (audio)
dē-
Synonyms of depressingnext
: 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.
After watching and enjoying the film, a somewhat depressing thought leaped into my mind. Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 8 June 2026 After a depressing four-year hiatus, Bus Palladium has been transformed into a 35-room luxury hotel with a bar, restaurant, and club by building owner Christian Casmèze and hotelier Nicolas Saltiel, with architecture and interiors by the design firm Studio KO. Alexander Lobrano, Air Mail, 6 June 2026 Past, present, and future versions of the South Park figures—childhood’s tokens, mined and mined again—are made to converge around adulthood’s most representative, most depressing reality. Theo Belci, Artforum, 2 June 2026 The mood has gotten rather depressing. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for depressing

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of depressing was in 1556

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Depressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depressing. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on depressing

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster