depressive

[ dih-pres-iv ]

adjective

1. tending to cause depression:

   depressive environmental factors.

2. characterized by depression, especially mental depression.

noun

1. a person having or affected with a depressive illness.

depressive

/ dɪˈprɛsɪv /

adjective

1. tending to depress; causing depression
2. psychol tending to be subject to periods of depression See also manic-depressive

Derived Forms

• deˈpressively, adverb
• deˈpressiveness, noun

Other Words From

• de·pres·sive·ly adverb
• de·pres·sive·ness noun
• non·de·pres·sive adjective
• non·de·pres·sive·ly adverb
• o·ver·de·pres·sive adjective
• o·ver·de·pres·sive·ly adverb
• o·ver·de·pres·sive·ness noun
• post·de·pres·sive adjective
• un·de·pres·sive adjective
• un·de·pres·sive·ly adverb
• un·de·pres·sive·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of depressive¹

First recorded in 1610–20; depress + -ive

Example Sentences

Behind its glassy doors is something rare: A community run by people with serious mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.

From Los Angeles Times

In turn, he said, that “can precipitate depressive episodes in such individuals.”

From Los Angeles Times

In the air quality study, more than 17% of women reported having depressive symptoms one or two years after giving birth.

From Los Angeles Times

Another study of adolescents ages 12 to 17 who participated in the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 20% of them had experienced major depressive disorder in the past year.

From Los Angeles Times

Roughly a third of adolescents in the U.S. have an anxiety disorder, and in 2023, nearly one in five U.S. teens experienced a major depressive episode.

From Salon

Related Words

• bleak
• boring
• colorless
• damp
• depressing
• dingy
• dismal
• drab
• dull
• forlorn
• humdrum
• lonely
• monotonous
• sad
• somber
• tedious
• uneventful
• uninteresting
• windy
• wintry