de·pres·sive
di-ˈpre-siv 
dē-
1
: tending to depress
2
: of, relating to, marked by, or affected by psychological depression
depressive symptoms
a depressive patient
depressively
adverb
: one who is affected with or prone to psychological depression
Synonyms
Adjective
- black
- bleak
- cheerless
- chill
- Cimmerian
- cloudy
- cold
- comfortless
- dark
- darkening
- depressing
- desolate
- dire
- disconsolate
- dismal
- drear
- dreary
- dreich [chiefly Scottish]
- elegiac
- elegiacal
- forlorn
- funereal
- gloomy
- glum
- godforsaken
- gray
- grey
- lonely
- lonesome
- lugubrious
- miserable
- morbid
- morose
- murky
- plutonian
- saturnine
- sepulchral
- solemn
- somber
- sombre
- sullen
- sunless
- tenebrific
- tenebrous
- wretched
Examples of depressive in a Sentence
Adjective
the depressive story about a struggling artist
Recent Examples on the Web
New Atlas, 22 Sep. 2024
The oldest Sardinians report high levels of psychological well-being and low levels of depressive symptoms, thanks in part to their resilience and social ties.
—Raeleen D'agostino Mautner, Contributor, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2024
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 
Adjective
The researchers found that both treatment groups showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms up to six months after treatment.
—New Atlas, 22 Sep. 2024
The oldest Sardinians report high levels of psychological well-being and low levels of depressive symptoms, thanks in part to their resilience and social ties.
—Raeleen D'agostino Mautner, Contributor, CNBC, 12 Sep. 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.
Dictionary Entries Near depressive
Cite this Entry
“Depressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depressive. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
depressive
1 of 2 adjective
de·pres·sive
di-ˈpres-iv
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
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