de·pres·sive
di-ˈpre-siv 
dē-
1
: tending to depress
2
: of, relating to, marked by, or affected by psychological depression
depressive symptoms
a depressive patient
depressively
adverb
: one who is affected with or prone to psychological depression
Synonyms of depressive
Examples of depressive in a Sentence
Adjective
the depressive story about a struggling artist
Recent Examples on the Web
Dana Santas, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
But the University of Michigan’s healthy minds survey, the country’s largest student mental health study to date, recently found that college students are reporting lower rates of depressive symptoms, anxiety and suicidal thoughts for the third year in a row.
—Ryan Travia, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 2025
Arianna Huffington, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
Bobo, a depressive with a habit of finding a pick-me-up at the bottom of a bottle, checks into rehab and puts a plug in the jug for good; Ferrara’s father never dries up, and in 1980 follows his first suicide attempt with a second, successful one.
—Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for depressive
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Adjective
Regular resistance exercise has been shown to reduce chronic inflammation in aging adults, improve sleep quality and lessen anxiety and depressive symptoms in older adults.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
But the University of Michigan’s healthy minds survey, the country’s largest student mental health study to date, recently found that college students are reporting lower rates of depressive symptoms, anxiety and suicidal thoughts for the third year in a row.
—Ryan Travia, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 2025
Noun
Some had heart attacks or suffered depressive and anxiety disorders.
—Arianna Huffington, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
Bobo, a depressive with a habit of finding a pick-me-up at the bottom of a bottle, checks into rehab and puts a plug in the jug for good; Ferrara’s father never dries up, and in 1980 follows his first suicide attempt with a second, successful one.
—Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for depressive
Cite this Entry
“Depressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depressive. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
depressive
1 of 2 adjective
de·pres·sive
di-ˈpres-iv
1
: tending to depress
2
: of, relating to, marked by, or affected by psychological depression
the patient was paranoid and depressive
depressive symptoms
depressive
2 of 2 noun
: one who is affected with or prone to psychological depression
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