Depress Meaning
/dɪˈpɹɛs/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo press down.
verbTo make depressed, sad or bored.
Sentence Examples
Rain doesn't depress people who like reading.
I don't want to depress you.
An area of the mattress started to depress.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
Cold weather can ____ consumer spending during the winter months.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Rain doesn't ____ people who like reading.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English depressen, from Old French depresser, from Latin dēpressus, perfect participle of dēprimō (“to press down, to weigh down”), from dē- (“off, away, down, out”) + premō (“to press”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"As to the fireman, the sight of him at work, swinging round with his shovelful of coal and at the same moment lightly depressing his right heel and so working the pedal which causes the steam-operated firedoors to open like magic in front of the shovel, was always a pleasure."
— 1947 January and February, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 39:
"Russia claims the proportion of the grain that went to the very poorest countries was less than 4%, but this ignores the fact that even if wealthier countries were buying the wheat, the extra supply was depressing the general price all countries were paying."
— 2023 July 20, Patrick Wintour, “What was the Black Sea grain deal and why did it collapse?”, in The Guardian:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Cold weather can ____ consumer spending during the winter months.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Rain doesn't ____ people who like reading.