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
Examples of depressive in a Sentence
Adjective
the depressive story about a struggling artist
Recent Examples on the Web
Tom Chiodo, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
Compared to those who did not follow a specific diet, those who stuck to a calorie-restrictive diet — including overweight individuals — saw an increase in depressive symptom severity, the study found.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025
Also, single high-dose LSD treatment very likely works in patients with depressive or anxiety disorders.
—New Atlas, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for depressive
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.
Adjective
Caregivers of individuals under 60 are nearly 4 times more likely to experience depressive symptoms than non-caregivers and are less likely to seek treatment.
—Tom Chiodo, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
Compared to those who did not follow a specific diet, those who stuck to a calorie-restrictive diet — including overweight individuals — saw an increase in depressive symptom severity, the study found.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
Noun
Like any self-respecting depressive who’s unready to address her self-sabotaging, Laurie bails on their impromptu intervention before entrées.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025
Also, single high-dose LSD treatment very likely works in patients with depressive or anxiety disorders.
—New Atlas, 3 Apr. 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 2 Jul. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share