depressive

1 of 2

adjective

de·​pres·​sive di-ˈpre-siv How to pronounce depressive (audio)
dē-
1
: tending to depress
2
: of, relating to, marked by, or affected by psychological depression
depressive symptoms
a depressive patient
depressively adverb

depressive

2 of 2

noun

: one who is affected with or prone to psychological depression

Examples of depressive in a Sentence

Adjective the depressive story about a struggling artist
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
While both psilocybin and escitalopram showed comparable improvement in depressive symptoms, people who took psilocybin reported greater joy in their lives — a significant plus in keeping depression at bay. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 22 Oct. 2024 Improves Mood and Depressive Symptoms Reishi mushrooms may improve mood, depressive symptoms, and anxiety. Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 19 Oct. 2024
Noun
In the first years of the pandemic, the percentage of young people with depressive and anxiety symptoms doubled. Lydia Denworth, Scientific American, 25 June 2024 People living with bipolar cycle through manic or hypomanic (too much energy) and depressive (little to no energy) mood states, McInnis told me. Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2023 See all Example Sentences for depressive 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'depressive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of depressive was in 1620

Dictionary Entries Near depressive

Cite this Entry

“Depressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depressive. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

depressive

1 of 2 adjective
de·​pres·​sive di-ˈpres-iv How to pronounce depressive (audio)
1
: tending to depress
2
: of, relating to, marked by, or affected by psychological depression
the patient was paranoid and depressive
depressive symptoms

depressive

2 of 2 noun
: one who is affected with or prone to psychological depression
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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