depress

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /dɪˈprɛs/ UK /dɪˈprɛs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to make sad and dispirited, or to press down

The grim news began to depress the whole household.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to make sad and dispirited,... dishearten sadden dispirit deject lower reduce weaken

Opposites

cheer elate uplift encourage raise

Word family

Forms depresses

Derived forms depression depressing depresseddepressantdepressive

Related forms press compress oppress suppress

Simplified etymology

Depress entered English in late Middle English with the basic sense “press down.” Its element press can be traced back to Latin premere “to press.”

Etymology

From Old French depresser, from Late Latin depressare, frequentative of Latin deprimere ('to press down'), from de- ('down') plus premere ('to press').

deprimere Latin premere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# depress

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈprɛs/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈprɛs/

## Meanings
1. to make sad and dispirited, or to press down

## Examples
- The grim news began to depress the whole household.

## Synonyms
- dishearten
- sadden
- dispirit
- deject
- lower
- reduce
- weaken

## Antonyms
- cheer
- elate
- uplift
- encourage
- raise

## Derived Forms
- depression
- depressing
- depressed
- depressant
- depressive

## Related Forms
- press
- compress
- oppress
- suppress

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: deprimere
- Root: premere

## Etymology
From Old French depresser, from Late Latin depressare, frequentative of Latin deprimere ('to press down'), from de- ('down') plus premere ('to press').

## AI Etymology
Depress is from Old French depresser, from Late Latin depressare, frequentative of Latin deprimere ('to press down'), from de- ('down') plus premere ('to press'). In present-day use, it means to make sad and dispirited, or to press down. Derived formations include depression, depressing, depressed, depressant, and depressive. Related vocabulary includes press, compress, oppress, and suppress.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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