Depresses — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /di-ˈpres/ de·press

Meaning & Definition of Depresses

Depresses (verb)

  1. repress, subjugate
  2. to press down
  3. to cause to sink to a lower position

Depresses (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make sad

    "the thought of once again failing the bar exam depressed me"

    similar: bums (out), burdens, dashes, dejects, gets down, oppresses, saddens, weighs down
    related: ails, distresses, troubles, afflicts, torments, tortures, daunts, demoralizes, discourages, disheartens, dismays, dispirits, unnerves, agitates, bothers, concerns, discomforts, discomposes, disquiets, disturbs, exercises, freaks (out), perturbs, undoes, unhinges, unsettles, upsets, worries
    opposite: brightens, buoys, cheers (up), gladdens, lightens, rejoices
    near: animates, enlivens, invigorates, assures, comforts, consoles, reassures, solaces, soothes, excites, inspires, stimulates, elates, exhilarates, encourages, heartens, delights, gratifies, pleases, boosts, elevates, lifts, uplifts

  2. to cause to fall intentionally or unintentionally

    "construction workers depressed the roadbed in order to make way for an overpass"

    similar: drops, lowers, throws, throws down
    related: flattens, floors, levels, knocks down, knocks over, strikes down, topples, plops, plunks down, bobbles, bungles, foozles, fumbles, immerses, sinks, submerges
    opposite: lifts, picks up, raises

  3. to diminish the price or value of

    "the glut of wheat on the market has depressed that commodity for most of the past year"

    similar: attenuates, breaks, cheapens, depreciates, devaluates, devalues, downgrades, lowers, marks down, reduces, sinks, writes down, writes off
    related: debases, demonetizes, underestimates, underprices, underrates, undervalues, abridges, compresses, contracts, de-escalates, deflates, downsizes, dwindles, lessens, moderates, shrinks
    opposite: appreciates, enhances, marks up, upgrades
    near: bloats, blows up, inflates, overestimates, overprices, overrates, overvalues, adds, aggrandizes, amplifies, augments, balloons, boosts, compounds, dilates, enlarges, escalates, expands, extends, heightens, increases, maximizes, multiplies, raises, swells, ups

  4. to push steadily against with some force

    "depressed the lever to start the machine"

    similar: bears (down on), presses, shoves, weighs (on or upon)
    related: compresses, mashes, punches, squashes, squeezes, squishes, squooshes, compels, forces, pressures, leans (on or against), muscles, drives, propels, thrusts, compacts, condenses, constricts, contracts, crushes, scrunches, wrings, crams, jam-packs, jams, packs, stuffs, wedges

Related Entry: Depress (verb)

Depress is a different word from Depresses. The synonyms below are for depress, not for depresses.

  1. to make sad

    "the thought of once again failing the bar exam depressed me"

    similar: bum (out), burden, dash, deject, get down, oppress, sadden, weigh down
    related: ail, distress, trouble, afflict, torment, torture, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, unnerve, agitate, bother, concern, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, disturb, exercise, freak (out), perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry
    opposite: brighten, buoy, cheer (up), gladden, lighten, rejoice
    near: animate, enliven, invigorate, assure, comfort, console, reassure, solace, soothe, excite, inspire, stimulate, elate, exhilarate, encourage, hearten, delight, gratify, please, boost, elevate, lift, uplift

  2. to cause to fall intentionally or unintentionally

    "construction workers depressed the roadbed in order to make way for an overpass"

    similar: drop, lower, throw, throw down
    related: flatten, floor, level, knock down, knock over, strike down, topple, plop, plunk down, bobble, bungle, foozle, fumble, immerse, sink, submerge
    opposite: lift, pick up, raise

  3. to diminish the price or value of

    "the glut of wheat on the market has depressed that commodity for most of the past year"

    similar: attenuate, break, cheapen, depreciate, devaluate, devalue, downgrade, lower, mark down, reduce, sink, write down, write off
    related: debase, demonetize, underestimate, underprice, underrate, undervalue, abridge, compress, contract, de-escalate, deflate, downsize, dwindle, lessen, moderate, shrink
    opposite: appreciate, enhance, mark up, upgrade
    near: bloat, blow up, inflate, overestimate, overprice, overrate, overvalue, add, aggrandize, amplify, augment, balloon, boost, compound, dilate, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, heighten, increase, maximize, multiply, raise, swell, up

  4. to push steadily against with some force

    "depressed the lever to start the machine"

    similar: bear (down on), press, shove, weigh (on or upon)
    related: compress, mash, punch, squash, squeeze, squish, squoosh, compel, force, pressure, lean (on or against), muscle, drive, propel, thrust, compact, condense, constrict, contract, crush, scrunch, wring, cram, jam, jam-pack, pack, stuff, wedge

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Depresses

The most common words with a similar meaning to Depresses:

bums (out), burdens, dashes, dejects, gets down, oppresses, saddens, weighs down, drops, lowers, throws, throws down, attenuates, breaks, cheapens, depreciates, devaluates, devalues, downgrades, marks down, reduces, sinks, writes down, writes off, bears (down on), presses, shoves, weighs (on or upon)

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Depresses

Words with the opposite meaning of Depresses:

brightens, buoys, cheers (up), gladdens, lightens, rejoices, lifts, picks up, raises, appreciates, enhances, marks up, upgrades

Related Words for Depresses

ails, distresses, troubles, afflicts, torments, tortures, daunts, demoralizes, discourages, disheartens, dismays, dispirits, unnerves, agitates, bothers, concerns, discomforts, discomposes, disquiets, disturbs, exercises, freaks (out), perturbs, undoes, unhinges, unsettles, upsets, worries, flattens, floors

Near Antonyms of Depresses

animates, enlivens, invigorates, assures, comforts, consoles, reassures, solaces, soothes, excites, inspires, stimulates, elates, exhilarates, encourages, heartens, delights, gratifies, pleases, boosts, elevates, uplifts, bloats, blows up, inflates, overestimates, overprices, overrates, overvalues, adds

Word Forms of Depresses

Inflections: depressed, depressing

Derived words: depressible (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Depresses

Middle English, from Middle French depresser, from Latin depressus, past participle of deprimere to press down, from de- + premere to press press

First known use: 15th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Depresses

What does "Depresses" mean?

"Depresses" means repress, subjugate. As a verb, it is defined as: repress, subjugate. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Depresses"?

Other words for "Depresses" include bums (out), burdens, dashes, dejects, gets down, oppresses, saddens and weighs down. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Depresses" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Depresses"?

There are 113 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Depresses". Common alternatives include bums (out), burdens, dashes, dejects, gets down, oppresses, saddens, weighs down, drops and lowers.

What is the opposite of "Depresses"?

Antonyms of "Depresses" include brightens, buoys, cheers (up), gladdens, lightens, rejoices, lifts and picks up. Near antonyms include animates, enlivens, invigorates and assures.

How do you use "Depresses" in a sentence?

Examples of "Depresses" in a sentence: "the thought of once again failing the bar exam depressed me"; "construction workers depressed the roadbed in order to make way for an overpass"; "the glut of wheat on the market has depressed that commodity for most of the past year".

Is "Depresses" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Depresses" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Depresses"?

"Depresses" is pronounced /di-ˈpres/ and divided into syllables as de·press.

What is the origin of the word "Depresses"?

"Depresses" comes from Middle English, from Middle French depresser, from Latin depressus, past participle of deprimere to press down, from de- + premere to press press. First known use: 15th century.