major depression
noun
: a serious mood disorder involving one or more episodes of intense psychological depression or loss of interest or pleasure that lasts two or more weeks and is accompanied by irritability, fatigue, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, weight gain or loss, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and sometimes suicidal tendencies : clinical depression, major depressive disorder
Episodes of major depression usually last several months and may recur throughout a lifetime.—
The Harvard Mental Health Letter
The Harvard Mental Health LetterPsychiatrists have found that among distinguished artists, the rates of manic depression and major depression are 10 to 30 times as prevalent as in the population at large.—Natalie Angier
Natalie AngierExamples of major depression in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
According to Our World in Data, one in three women and one in five men will experience major depression in their lifetime.
—Kyle Russell, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2024
In the weeks that followed, she was correctly diagnosed with ADHD, post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression — after being misdiagnosed as a teenager with schizophrenia.
—Angela Roberts, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2024
Sage had asked regulators to approve the drug as a treatment for both postpartum and major depression, the latter of which has a much larger sales potential.
—Allison Deangelis Reprints, STAT, 8 Jan. 2024
Several prior studies have suggested that psilocybin, the psychedelic compound produced by certain types of mushrooms, could be a promising way to treat major depression in people for whom antidepressants or counseling aren’t effective.
—Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 31 Aug. 2023
At eight weeks postpartum, mothers who exhibit symptoms of major depression are more likely than other mothers to report that their babies wake three times or more each night.
—Sarah Twombly, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2023
The study, with 403 participants, was significantly larger than previous ketamine comparison studies; a meta-analysis of these smaller studies, published last year and focused on major depression rather than treatment-resistant depression, found ECT had better results.
—Olivia Goldhill, STAT, 24 May 2023
Super, 59, has been open about her struggle with major depression, an issue she’s written about.
—Judith Graham, Fortune Well, 28 Nov. 2023
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 30 percent of those with epilepsy also suffer from serious mental health illnesses, including bipolar disorder, major depression and schizophrenia.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 10 May 2023
Kyle Russell, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2024
In the weeks that followed, she was correctly diagnosed with ADHD, post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression — after being misdiagnosed as a teenager with schizophrenia.
—Angela Roberts, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2024
Sage had asked regulators to approve the drug as a treatment for both postpartum and major depression, the latter of which has a much larger sales potential.
—Allison Deangelis Reprints, STAT, 8 Jan. 2024
Several prior studies have suggested that psilocybin, the psychedelic compound produced by certain types of mushrooms, could be a promising way to treat major depression in people for whom antidepressants or counseling aren’t effective.
—Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 31 Aug. 2023
At eight weeks postpartum, mothers who exhibit symptoms of major depression are more likely than other mothers to report that their babies wake three times or more each night.
—Sarah Twombly, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2023
The study, with 403 participants, was significantly larger than previous ketamine comparison studies; a meta-analysis of these smaller studies, published last year and focused on major depression rather than treatment-resistant depression, found ECT had better results.
—Olivia Goldhill, STAT, 24 May 2023
Super, 59, has been open about her struggle with major depression, an issue she’s written about.
—Judith Graham, Fortune Well, 28 Nov. 2023
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 30 percent of those with epilepsy also suffer from serious mental health illnesses, including bipolar disorder, major depression and schizophrenia.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 10 May 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'major depression.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Major depression.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/major%20depression. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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