Depressing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /di-ˈpre-siŋ/ de·press·ing

Meaning & Definition of Depressing

Depressing (adjective)

  1. that depresses; especially, causing emotional depression

Depressing (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer

    "the depressing atmosphere of the empty mall"

    similar: black, bleak, cheerless, chill, Cimmerian, cloudy, cold, comfortless, dark, darkening, depressive, desolate, dire, disconsolate, dismal, drear, dreary, dreich (chiefly Scottish), elegiac, forlorn, funereal, gloomy, glum, godforsaken, gray, lonely, lonesome, lugubrious, miserable, morbid, morose, murky, plutonian, saturnine, sepulchral, solemn, somber, sullen, sunless, tenebrific, tenebrous, wretched
    related: blue, dejected, depressed, despondent, down, droopy, hangdog, inconsolable, low, melancholic, melancholy, mirthless, sad, unhappy, woebegone, woeful, dim, discomfiting, discouraging, disheartening, dismaying, dispiriting, distressful, distressing, upsetting, desperate, hopeless, pessimistic, lamentable, mournful, plaintive, sorrowful, colorless, drab, dull, dour, grim, lowering, lowery, menacing, negative, oppressive, threatening
    opposite: bright, cheerful, cheering, cheery, comforting, cordial, festive, friendly, gay, heartwarming, sunshiny
    near: blithe, blithesome, buoyant, gay, jocund, jolly, joyful, joyous, merry, mirthful, encouraging, hopeful, optimistic, lighthearted, lightsome

  2. causing unhappiness

    "more depressing news about the famine overseas"

    similar: dismal, drear, dreary, heartbreaking, heartrending, melancholy, mournful, pathetic, sad, saddening, sorry, tearful, teary
    related: deplorable, distressful, grievous, lamentable, unfortunate, woeful, discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, affecting, moving, poignant, touching, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting
    opposite: cheering, cheery, glad, happy
    near: heartening, heartwarming, inspiring, stimulating, stirring, uplifting, agreeable, delightful, enjoyable, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome, exhilarating, thrilling

Depressing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make sad

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

    similar: bumming (out), burdening, dashing, dejecting, getting down, oppressing, saddening, weighing down
    related: ailing, distressing, troubling, afflicting, tormenting, torturing, daunting, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dismaying, dispiriting, unnerving, agitating, bothering, concerning, discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, disturbing, exercising, freaking (out), perturbing, undoing, unhinging, unsettling, upsetting, worrying
    opposite: brightening, buoying, cheering (up), gladdening, lightening, rejoicing
    near: animating, enlivening, invigorating, assuring, comforting, consoling, reassuring, solacing, soothing, exciting, inspiring, stimulating, elating, exhilarating, encouraging, heartening, delighting, gratifying, pleasing, boosting, elevating, lifting, uplifting

  2. to cause to fall intentionally or unintentionally

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

    similar: dropping, lowering, throwing, throwing down
    related: flattening, flooring, leveling, knocking down, knocking over, striking down, toppling, plopping, plunking down, bobbling, bungling, foozling, fumbling, immersing, sinking, submerging
    opposite: lifting, picking up, raising

  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: attenuating, breaking, cheapening, depreciating, devaluating, devaluing, downgrading, lowering, marking down, reducing, sinking, writing down, writing off
    related: debasing, demonetizing, underestimating, underpricing, underrating, undervaluing, abridging, compressing, contracting, de-escalating, deflating, downsizing, dwindling, lessening, moderating, shrinking
    opposite: appreciating, enhancing, marking up, upgrading
    near: bloating, blowing up, inflating, overestimating, overpricing, overrating, overvaluing, adding, aggrandizing, amplifying, augmenting, ballooning, boosting, compounding, dilating, enlarging, escalating, expanding, extending, heightening, increasing, maximizing, multiplying, raising, swelling, upping

  4. to push steadily against with some force

    "depressed the lever to start the machine"

    similar: bearing (down on), pressing, shoving, weighing (on or upon)
    related: compressing, mashing, punching, squashing, squeezing, squishing, squooshing, compelling, forcing, pressuring, leaning (on or against), muscling, driving, propelling, thrusting, compacting, condensing, constricting, contracting, crushing, scrunching, wringing, cramming, jamming, jam-packing, packing, stuffing, wedging

Related Entry: Depress (verb)

Depress is a different word from Depressing. The synonyms below are for depress, not for depressing.

  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 Depressing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Depressing:

Chiefly Scottish: dreich
black, bleak, cheerless, chill, Cimmerian, cloudy, cold, comfortless, dark, darkening, depressive, desolate, dire, disconsolate, dismal, drear, dreary, elegiac, forlorn, funereal, gloomy, glum, godforsaken, gray, lonely, lonesome, lugubrious, miserable, morbid, morose, murky, plutonian, saturnine, sepulchral, solemn, somber, sullen, sunless, tenebrific, tenebrous

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Depressing

Words with the opposite meaning of Depressing:

bright, cheerful, cheering, cheery, comforting, cordial, festive, friendly, gay, heartwarming, sunshiny, glad, happy, brightening, buoying, cheering (up), gladdening, lightening, rejoicing, lifting, picking up, raising, appreciating, enhancing, marking up, upgrading

Related Words for Depressing

blue, dejected, depressed, despondent, down, droopy, hangdog, inconsolable, low, melancholic, mirthless, unhappy, woebegone, woeful, dim, discomfiting, discouraging, disheartening, dismaying, dispiriting, distressful, distressing, upsetting, desperate, hopeless, pessimistic, lamentable, plaintive, sorrowful, colorless

Near Antonyms of Depressing

blithe, blithesome, buoyant, jocund, jolly, joyful, joyous, merry, mirthful, encouraging, hopeful, optimistic, lighthearted, lightsome, heartening, inspiring, stimulating, stirring, uplifting, agreeable, delightful, enjoyable, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome, exhilarating, thrilling, animating

Word Forms of Depressing

Derived words: depressingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Depressing

First known use: 1556

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Depressing

Frequently Asked Questions about Depressing

What does "Depressing" mean?

"Depressing" means that depresses; especially, causing emotional depression. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: that depresses; especially, causing emotional depression. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Depressing"?

Other words for "Depressing" include black, bleak, cheerless, chill, Cimmerian, cloudy, cold and comfortless. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Depressing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Depressing"?

There are 204 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Depressing". Common alternatives include black, bleak, cheerless, chill, Cimmerian, cloudy, cold, comfortless, dark and darkening.

What is the opposite of "Depressing"?

Antonyms of "Depressing" include bright, cheerful, cheering, cheery, comforting, cordial, festive and friendly. Near antonyms include blithe, blithesome, buoyant and jocund.

How do you use "Depressing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Depressing" in a sentence: "the depressing atmosphere of the empty mall"; "more depressing news about the famine overseas"; "the thought of once again failing the bar exam depressed me".

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

"Depressing" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Depressing" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Depressing" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Depressing"?

"Depressing" is pronounced /di-ˈpre-siŋ/ and divided into syllables as de·press·ing.