Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Feeling very sad and without hope: Describes a state of low mood, melancholy, and despondency.
   • Lower than usual or previous levels: Describes something that is reduced in amount, value, activity, or strength.
   • Pressed or pushed down: Describes something that is physically flattened or sunken.

Usage and Examples

• Adjective (Emotional State):

  • She felt depressed after hearing the bad news.
  • He has been looking depressed and withdrawn lately.

• Adjective (Economic/Physical State):

  • The depressed economy has led to high unemployment.
  • Sales figures for the quarter are depressed compared to last year.

• Adjective (Physical Position):

  • The depressed key on the old typewriter was stuck.
  • A depressed fracture is a break where part of the skull is pushed inward.

Advanced Usage

• "to be depressed about something": to feel very sad concerning a specific thing.

  • He was deeply depressed about his failing grades.

• "clinically depressed": suffering from a medical condition characterized by persistent and severe low mood.

  • After months of struggling, she was diagnosed as clinically depressed.

Variants and Related Words

• Depress (verb): To make someone feel very sad; to reduce the level or strength of something.

  • The gloomy weather depresses my mood.
  • High interest rates depress consumer spending.

• Depressing (adjective): Causing sadness or dejection.

  • It was a depressing movie with a very sad ending.

• Depression (noun): A state of feeling sad; a period of economic decline; a sunken or hollow area.

  • He suffered from a bout of depression.
  • The Great Depression of the 1930s.
  • Rainwater collected in a depression in the ground.

Synonyms

• Dejected: Sad and dispirited.
• Despondent: In low spirits from loss of hope or courage.
• Downcast: (Of a person's eyes) looking downward; (of a person) feeling sad or discouraged.
• Gloomy: Causing or feeling depression or despondency.

Antonyms

• Cheerful: Noticeably happy and optimistic.
• Elated: Very happy and excited; in high spirits.
• Buoyant: Able to stay afloat; (of an economy or market) involving or engaged in much successful trade or activity; cheerful and optimistic.

Related Phrases

• "to get/be depressed": To become or be in a state of sadness.

  • It's easy to get depressed during the long, dark winter months.

• "depressed area": A region suffering from economic decline.

  • The government announced aid for depressed areas of the country.

Adjective

1. filled with melancholy and despondency
   • gloomy at the thought of what he had to face
   • gloomy predictions
   • a gloomy silence
   • took a grim view of the economy
   • the darkening mood
   • lonely and blue in a strange city
   • depressed by the loss of his job
   • a dispirited and resigned expression on her face
   • downcast after his defeat
   • feeling discouraged and downhearted
2. flattened downward as if pressed from above or flattened along the dorsal and ventral surfaces
3. lower than previously
   • the market is depressed
   • prices are down