major depressive disorder
noun
: a serious mood disorder involving one or more episodes of intense psychological depression or loss of interest or pleasure that lasts two or more weeks and is accompanied by irritability, fatigue, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, weight gain or loss, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and sometimes suicidal tendencies : clinical depression, major depression
About 18 million Americans are diagnosed with a major depressive disorder each year.—
David Schwab
David SchwabThe most serious form of depression is major depressive disorder, characterized by depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, changes in appetite, increased or decreased sleep, increased or decreased motor activity, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating and, for some people, recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.—Sandi Lloyd
—abbreviation MDD
Sandi LloydExamples of major depressive disorder in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some people may be at risk of developing major depressive disorder (MDD).
—Janelle McSwiggin, Msn, Rn, Health, 27 Sep. 2024
In 1970, the agency approved lithium carbonate for bipolar disorder; today, it’s also used off-label mostly for major depressive disorder.
—Shayla Love, The Atlantic, 4 Oct. 2024
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.
—Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024
Some people who are depressed don’t have major depressive disorder.
—Maya Richard-Craven, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for major depressive disorder 
Janelle McSwiggin, Msn, Rn, Health, 27 Sep. 2024
In 1970, the agency approved lithium carbonate for bipolar disorder; today, it’s also used off-label mostly for major depressive disorder.
—Shayla Love, The Atlantic, 4 Oct. 2024
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.
—Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024
Some people who are depressed don’t have major depressive disorder.
—Maya Richard-Craven, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for major depressive disorder
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'major depressive disorder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Major depressive disorder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/major%20depressive%20disorder. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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major depressive disorder
noun
: a serious mood disorder involving one or more episodes of intense psychological depression or loss of interest or pleasure that lasts two or more weeks and is accompanied by irritability, fatigue, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, weight gain or loss, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and sometimes suicidal tendencies : clinical depression, major depression
The diagnosis of both major depressive disorder and subsyndromal symptoms is complicated by difficulties that elderly patients may have in recognizing or describing depressive symptoms.—Lawrence M. Martin et al., The John Hopkins White Papers
—abbreviation MDD
Lawrence M. Martin et al., The John Hopkins White PapersLove words? Need even more definitions?
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