DEPRESSIVE Synonyms: 115 Similar and Opposite Words

depressive

adjective

di-ˈpre-siv

Definition of depressive

as in bleak

causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer the depressive story about a struggling artist

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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 depressive Individuals with postpartum depression are 50% to 60% more likely to have another depressive episode, both in a subsequent pregnancy and outside of pregnancy altogether. — Dana Kozlov, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 Mack testified Friday that Clancy had a major depressive episode but did not show signs of psychosis at the time the killings. — Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026 In a 2025 study of older parents, being cut off from an adult child was associated with poorer well-being and a reduced sense of purpose, as well as greater depressive symptoms. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Reports indicate that Rhode Islanders are facing issues related to depression, depressive symptoms, and overall mental health, reflecting continued demand for mental health and community support services throughout the state. — Lyssanoel Frater, Ascend Agency, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for depressive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for depressive

Adjective

Using the pretense of a documentary film crew, the show follows the excruciatingly dull workday experiences of a paper supply company in a drab office in a bleak industrial estate in Slough, England.

— René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2026
India's quarterly economic growth has exceeded expectations several times over the past year, defying a bleak global trade environment, high energy prices and geopolitical uncertainties.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of bleak

Adjective

Chronically lonely employees who struggle with social confidence may need extra support, Hadley said.

— Cordilia James, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
Even Stephen Curry, who transformed himself into an NBA all-time great through endless lonely work on his shooting, had recently asked Tiafoe the question in a casual chat.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of lonely

Adjective

The actor-director continued on a more somber note, driving home the importance of free speech.

— Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Davis was much more somber, and his attorney, Wayne Higgins, is heard frequently admonishing his client for volunteering unnecessary information.

— Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of somber

Adjective

Floor-to-ceiling glass walls let a lot of light into the space, which is decorated in tones of gray, with dark wood herring bone floors in the bar.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026
In its concluding episodes, the HBO juggernaut thrust an unearned heel turn on its female lead, rendered its climactic battle so dark viewers couldn’t see it, and ended over 70 hours of buildup with a rando on the Iron Throne.

— Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of dark

Adjective

All of them were naked, mutilated and left in desolate spots.

— Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Miller was one of four young women whose bodies were found between 1984 and 1991 in a rural field off a desolate dirt road in League City, located about 28 miles (45 kilometers) southeast of Houston.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of desolate

Adjective

The action cuts back and forth from Anna and Alice in Rome, the latter still deeply resentful and convinced the whole elaborate story is just some morbid fantasy hatched out of her mother’s self-absorption.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
In the literature of divorce, food is often marked by its absence—by the rupture of routine, the disappearance of appetite, and the sudden weight loss that is almost inevitably framed as a morbid silver lining.

— Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of morbid

Adjective

For those seeking a solemn moment of reflection or a way to give back, here’s a guide to area events commemorating 9/11’s 25th anniversary, running from Wednesday through the weekend.

— The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 8 Sep. 2026
This year, Haitians are marching under more solemn circumstances than in prior years.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of solemn

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“Depressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depressive. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of depressive

adjective

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