depression
noun
de·pres·sion
di-ˈpre-shən 
dē-
plural depressions
1
: an act of depressing or a state of being depressed: such as
a
: a state of feeling sad : low spirits : melancholy
specifically
: a mood disorder that is marked by varying degrees of sadness, despair, and loneliness and that is typically accompanied by inactivity, guilt, loss of concentration, social withdrawal, sleep disturbances, and sometimes suicidal tendencies see also clinical depression, major depression, postpartum depression
b(1)
: a reduction in activity, amount, quality, or force
a depression in trade
(2)
biology
: a lowering of physical or mental vitality or of functional activity
c
: a pressing down : lowering
a depression of the tab key
2
a
economics
: a long-lasting period of greatly reduced general economic activity marked especially by widespread unemployment and declines in trade and production and often by deflation
a country heading towards a depression
periods of economic depression
compare recession entry 1 sense 2
b
the Depression
: great depression
3
4
meteorology
: low entry 2 sense 1b
a tropical depression
5
a
astronomy
: the angular distance of a celestial object below the horizon
b
mathematics
: the size of an angle of depression
Examples of depression in a Sentence
She has been undergoing treatment for severe depression.
Many people suffer from clinical depression for years before being diagnosed.
After several years of an economic boom, it looks as though we may be heading toward a depression.
The photographs show depressions in the moon's surface.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lavender essential oil may be beneficial for anxiety, depression and sleep.
—
Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024
What earning a Michelin star means to chefs The Michelin Guide has come under scrutiny in the past for creating a system that puts unhealthy amounts of stress and depression on chefs who are unable to earn a star, or worse, are unable to maintain their position year after year and lose a star.
—The Arizona Republic, 17 Apr. 2024
Through the hotline, callers are connected to peer counselors for assistance with stress, anxiety and depression.
—Angela Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee, 16 Apr. 2024
In particular, loss of gray matter in the brain has been associated with dementia and mental health issues such as depression.
—Lauryn Higgins, Health, 16 Apr. 2024
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of CTE include difficulty thinking, depression, impulsive behavior, short-term memory loss and emotional instability.
—Nicole Acosta, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
There’s the pressure to perform both academically and athletically and balance the responsibilities of each, which can lead to anxiety and depression, experts said.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
The young drivers, in particular, are part of a generation with soaring rates of anxiety and depression.
—Alec Sutherland, The New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2024
The new report finds that currently, one in three Indians is pre-diabetic, two in three are pre-hypertensive, and one in 10 struggles with depression.
—Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024
What earning a Michelin star means to chefs The Michelin Guide has come under scrutiny in the past for creating a system that puts unhealthy amounts of stress and depression on chefs who are unable to earn a star, or worse, are unable to maintain their position year after year and lose a star.
—The Arizona Republic, 17 Apr. 2024
Through the hotline, callers are connected to peer counselors for assistance with stress, anxiety and depression.
—Angela Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee, 16 Apr. 2024
In particular, loss of gray matter in the brain has been associated with dementia and mental health issues such as depression.
—Lauryn Higgins, Health, 16 Apr. 2024
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of CTE include difficulty thinking, depression, impulsive behavior, short-term memory loss and emotional instability.
—Nicole Acosta, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
There’s the pressure to perform both academically and athletically and balance the responsibilities of each, which can lead to anxiety and depression, experts said.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
The young drivers, in particular, are part of a generation with soaring rates of anxiety and depression.
—Alec Sutherland, The New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2024
The new report finds that currently, one in three Indians is pre-diabetic, two in three are pre-hypertensive, and one in 10 struggles with depression.
—Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'depression.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near depression
Cite this Entry
“Depression.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depression. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
depression
noun
de·pres·sion
di-ˈpresh-ən
1
2
: a depressed place or part : hollow
a depression in the road
3
: a period of low general economic activity with widespread unemployment
Medical Definition
depression
noun
de·pres·sion
di-ˈpresh-ən
1
: a displacement downward or inward
depression of the jaw
2
: an act of depressing or a state of being depressed: as
a
: a state of feeling sad : low spirits : melancholy
specifically
: a mood disorder marked by varying degrees of sadness, despair, and loneliness that is typically accompanied by inactivity, guilt, loss of concentration, social withdrawal, sleep disturbances, and sometimes suicidal tendencies see also clinical depression, major depression, postpartum depression
b
: a reduction in functional activity, amount, quality, or force
depression of autonomic function
depression of red blood cells
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