1
as in saddens
to make sad
the thought of once again failing the bar exam depressed me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lowers
to cause to fall intentionally or unintentionally
construction workers depressed the roadbed in order to make way for an overpass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in reduces
to diminish the price or value of
the glut of wheat on the market has depressed that commodity for most of the past year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in presses
to push steadily against with some force
depressed the lever to start the machine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of depresses
Usually a warm El Nino spikes temperatures and its cool La Nina flip side depresses temperatures.
—
Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026
Empirical studies confirm that reliance on large donors depresses participation in time-intensive legislative activities—things such as bill sponsorship, floor debate, and committee work.
—Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Their style of pitching — relentlessly pound the strike zone — works well in a ballpark where the thick air depresses doubles and triples.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
As Aerohart explains of its own device, the user simply puts the tinder – char cloth seems to be the most recommended – inside the cavity at the tip of the removable piston rod, reinstalls the piston back into the cylinder, then firmly and rapidly depresses it.
—New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025
At one moment in the concerto, the soloist—here the brilliant, committed young pianist Jeonghwan Kim—silently depresses a C-major triad with the left hand and then bangs out a C-major triad with the right, so that the lower strings resonate.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
As the user depresses a key, the backside of the key (which is not visible) touches a thin layer of material.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026
Empirical studies confirm that reliance on large donors depresses participation in time-intensive legislative activities—things such as bill sponsorship, floor debate, and committee work.
—Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Their style of pitching — relentlessly pound the strike zone — works well in a ballpark where the thick air depresses doubles and triples.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
As Aerohart explains of its own device, the user simply puts the tinder – char cloth seems to be the most recommended – inside the cavity at the tip of the removable piston rod, reinstalls the piston back into the cylinder, then firmly and rapidly depresses it.
—New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025
At one moment in the concerto, the soloist—here the brilliant, committed young pianist Jeonghwan Kim—silently depresses a C-major triad with the left hand and then bangs out a C-major triad with the right, so that the lower strings resonate.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
As the user depresses a key, the backside of the key (which is not visible) touches a thin layer of material.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depresses
Verb
-
However, that really saddens me now.—
Abigail Wise,
Outside,
3 Jan. 2026
-
Being stuck in the middle is what saddens the Others.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
21 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Training your back and other opposing muscle groups alongside your pecs helps maintain alignment, improves posture, lowers injury risk and can make your chest look stronger and be more defined.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The result is a faster, greener process that significantly lowers energy and solvent consumption while delivering high yields and exceptional purity, making large-scale Duzhong rubber production more practical and sustainable.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
According to the company, this reduces inventory burdens, streamlines logistics, and shortens installation timelines.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
This greatly reduces environmental concerns related to legacy waste.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But as her story ends, her career on the stage presses forward.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
4 Feb. 2026
-
When closed, the sash presses firmly against the frame, which can help create a tight seal and limit air leakage.—
Roxanne Downer,
USA Today,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His policies have been instrumental in dismantling the criminal enterprise that oppresses the Venezuelan people.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Societal pressure can be heavy for most women, especially Black women, to stay strong and keep moving, regardless of the obstacles that life throws at you, and Vette felt that weight in real time.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Chivilli averages 97 mph with his fastball and also throws an excellent changeup.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In one video Pretti appears to intervene after an agent shoves a person.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
25 Jan. 2026
-
The same officer shoves Pretti in his chest, leading Pretti and the other protester to stumble backward.—
Hannah Fingerhut,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That last hurdle, safely landing a SpaceX Starship HLS (Human Landing System) spacecraft, carrying two astronauts, upright on the moon, particularly troubles Green.—
Dan Vergano,
Scientific American,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Rather, what troubles him are the claims that the song’s success has been manufactured.—
Melinda Newman,
Billboard,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Depresses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depresses. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
