depress Hear it!

depress Definition

de·press (dē pres′, di-)

transitive verb

  1. to press down; push or pull down; lower
  2. to lower in spirits; make gloomy; discourage; sadden
  3. to decrease the force or activity of; weaken
  4. to lower in value, price, or amount
  5. Obsolete to suppress
  6. Music to lower the pitch of

Etymology: ME depressen < OFr depresser < L depressus, pp. of deprimere, to press down, sink < de-, down + premere, to press

depress Related Forms

de·press′·ing adjective de·press′·ingly adverb

depress Synonyms

depress

v.

  1. To bring to a lower level or state

    press down, squash, reduce; see deaden 1, dent, flatten, lower, press 1.

  2. To lower in spirits

    dispirit, dampen, dishearten, discourage, dismay, mortify, sadden, weary, darken, desolate, reduce to tears, deject, cow, weigh down, cast down, beat down, chill, dull, daunt, damp, oppress, prostrate, give an inferiority complex, cast gloom upon, cast a pall upon, make despondent, throw cold water on, put a damper on, bring down*, get down*, bum out*; see also discourage 1.

    Antonyms encourage, animate, stimulate.

depress Usage Examples

Object

  • plunger: Depress the syringe plunger to deliver the correct dose.
  • clutch: Can you hear the squeak when depressing the clutch pedal with the engine switched off?
  • respiration: If premedication is planned anxiolytics are preferable to opiates which may depress the respiration.
  • accelerator: Release the hand brake; gently depress the accelerator pedal and the vehicle will move off smoothly.
  • button: When you depress the shutter release button slightly a bracket will appear over the object in focus.
  • lever: While the hammer is still depressed the intermediate lever comes to rest on a small leather-covered ledge near the top of the hopper.

Preposition: at

  • thought: Depressed at the thought of spending the summer tied to your desk when the sun is shining outside?
  • moment: If you are depressed at the moment some of the following symptoms may sound familiar: You feel miserable and sad.

Adjective complement

due: Eight years ago I became very depressed due to a health issue related to my disability.

Modifying Another Word

  • clinically: Who cares if I am in a wheelchair and my friend is clinically depressed?
  • mildly: Meanwhile, is St John's wort a way forward for the mildly depressed?
  • postnatally: Foreman D, Henshaw C A ( 2002 ) Objectivity and subjectivity in postnatally depressed mothers ' perceptions of their infants.
  • severely: Mr Speed was in trouble with the police during the time that he was severely depressed.
  • economically: The refugees targeted by the above project are often socially isolated and economically depressed.
  • artificially: Furthermore, SCHIP enrollment in 2003 would be artificially depressed.

Used with why or when

when: Heavens, but I was depressing when I took the pen in hand!

Infinitive complement

  • think: It makes me too depressed to even think about it.
  • hear: As we left it was depressing to hear him described as ' Eric Clapton of the 21st century ' .

Present participle complement

think: Check depressed thinking habits - Are depressed thinking habits getting in the way of your trying these self care exercises?

Preposition: for

while: I realized I was actually depressed for a while, and that I am not depressed now.