depression
noun
de·pres·sion
di-ˈpre-shən 
dē-
plural depressions
1
: an act of depressing or a state of being depressed: such as
a
: a state of feeling sad : low spirits : melancholy
specifically
: a mood disorder that is marked by varying degrees of sadness, despair, and loneliness and that is typically accompanied by inactivity, guilt, loss of concentration, social withdrawal, sleep disturbances, and sometimes suicidal tendencies see also clinical depression, major depression, postpartum depression
b(1)
: a reduction in activity, amount, quality, or force
a depression in trade
(2)
biology
: a lowering of physical or mental vitality or of functional activity
c
: a pressing down : lowering
a depression of the tab key
2
a
economics
: a long-lasting period of greatly reduced general economic activity marked especially by widespread unemployment and declines in trade and production and often by deflation
a country heading towards a depression
periods of economic depression
compare recession entry 1 sense 2
b
the Depression
: great depression
3
4
meteorology
: low entry 2 sense 1b
a tropical depression
5
a
astronomy
: the angular distance of a celestial object below the horizon
b
mathematics
: the size of an angle of depression
Examples of depression in a Sentence
She has been undergoing treatment for severe depression.
Many people suffer from clinical depression for years before being diagnosed.
After several years of an economic boom, it looks as though we may be heading toward a depression.
The photographs show depressions in the moon's surface.
Recent Examples on the Web
Cooper’s deeply introspective film is a quiet beauty that understands and has compassion for how creativity and depression so often can be inexorably linked and produce such iconic works.
—
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
If conditions are right, the clusters swirl into a storm known as a tropical wave or tropical depression.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
Bipolar disorder involves alternating episodes of depression and mania, a state where thoughts race, impulsive decisions feel logical, and sleep becomes almost optional.
—Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
Over the summer the FDA convened a panel on the safety of certain antidepressants in pregnancy that tried to cast doubt on this research, ignoring the real harms of not treating depression or anxiety for pregnant people themselves and for their fetuses.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for depression
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.
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
If conditions are right, the clusters swirl into a storm known as a tropical wave or tropical depression.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
Bipolar disorder involves alternating episodes of depression and mania, a state where thoughts race, impulsive decisions feel logical, and sleep becomes almost optional.
—Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
Over the summer the FDA convened a panel on the safety of certain antidepressants in pregnancy that tried to cast doubt on this research, ignoring the real harms of not treating depression or anxiety for pregnant people themselves and for their fetuses.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for depression
Cite this Entry
“Depression.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depression. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
depression
noun
de·pres·sion
di-ˈpresh-ən
1
: an act of depressing : a state of being depressed: as
a
: a pressing down : lowering
b
: a state of feeling sad : dejection
also
: a mood disorder marked by varying degrees of sadness, despair, and loneliness usually accompanied by social withdrawal, inactivity, and loss of a sense of one's own worth
c
: a reduction in activity, amount, quality, or force
2
: a depressed place or part : hollow
a depression in the road
3
: a period of low general economic activity with widespread unemployment
Medical Definition
depression
noun
de·pres·sion
di-ˈpresh-ən
1
: a displacement downward or inward
depression of the jaw
2
: an act of depressing or a state of being depressed: as
a
: a state of feeling sad : low spirits : melancholy
specifically
: a mood disorder marked by varying degrees of sadness, despair, and loneliness that is typically accompanied by inactivity, guilt, loss of concentration, social withdrawal, sleep disturbances, and sometimes suicidal tendencies see also clinical depression, major depression, postpartum depression
b
: a reduction in functional activity, amount, quality, or force
depression of autonomic function
depression of red blood cells
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share