depressive

adjective

di-ˈpre-siv How to pronounce depressive (audio)
Definition of depressivenext
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer the depressive story about a struggling artist

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of depressive Regular attendees also tended to smoke less, experience fewer depressive symptoms and have stronger social support, the researchers reported in 2016. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026 Antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs such as Celexa, Prozac and Zoloft, target a range of depressive and anxiety disorders. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026 Up to a certain point, social media use didn't pop as a big predictor for depressive feelings. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Intrusive thoughts and depressive symptoms, for example, are not uncommon in the perinatal period and do not usually require hospitalization. — Renee Sorrentino, STAT, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for depressive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depressive
  1. bleak
  2. depressing
  3. lonely
  4. somber
  5. dark
  6. desolate
  7. morbid
  8. solemn
Adjective
  • Whether or not this year takes the top slot in that bleak ranking is still unclear.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Its successes have provided a spark of optimism in what has otherwise been a bleak few months for Ukraine.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • There will be pockets of opportunities from these old big department stores, which are underinvested and a bit depressing to walk around.
    — Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In the wake of a depressing 69-93 season that sputtered out from the get-go, as so many a Royals campaign does, the club promptly made some substantial changes.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • Bilbao seems to be a central character in the film, sometimes portrayed as lonely, dark and gritty.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • People report feeling less lonely after chatting with an AI companion, which resembles seeking comfort.
    — Pascal Vrticka, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • Elderly couples surrounded us in somber ceremony, each of them in seats clustered close to one another, some holding hands, their fingers dusted in crumb cake.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Many social media users suggested Pearman may have missed the point of the somber experience of visiting a living memorial where one of history’s greatest atrocities occurred.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of somber
Adjective
  • There’s nothing about the white bedding, dark-wood furniture, and tan carpeting that will knock your socks off—but nothing that will make your toes curl, either.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Guadagnino and screenwriter Simon Rich mold the material from dark humor through technocratic giddiness to sobering horror.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Along a desolate stretch of California desert highway, next to a ramshackle home, law enforcement officials on Wednesday dug for a second day in a search for bodies.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • With its fragile acoustic melodies, desolate lyrics, and spare, subtle studio accompaniment, Ride Lonesome is like Nick Drake’s mumble-folk masterpiece Bryter Layter as the work of a lovelorn Laurel Canyon soft-rock poet.
    — Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • The morbid fun of the film is seeing just how easily Borisov gets mowed over.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Having said that, unlike many too-long cold opens, this semi-morbid midterm skit work at the extra length – entirely because POTUS came to cook, base loathing and all.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of morbid
Adjective
  • This production, solemn about our obligations to one another but committed to providing a good night out at the theater, is neither.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Zack Wheeler pitched a gem against Tampa Bay on Sunday and untangled a few thousand knots inside the stomachs of Phillies fans, and even from those inside a mostly solemn clubhouse.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of solemn

Browse Nearby Words

depressions
depressive
deprivation
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Cite this Entry

“Depressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depressive. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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