major depressive disorder
noun
: a serious mood disorder involving one or more episodes of intense psychological depression or loss of interest or pleasure that lasts two or more weeks and is accompanied by irritability, fatigue, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, weight gain or loss, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and sometimes suicidal tendencies : clinical depression, major depression
About 18 million Americans are diagnosed with a major depressive disorder each year.—
David Schwab
David SchwabThe most serious form of depression is major depressive disorder, characterized by depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, changes in appetite, increased or decreased sleep, increased or decreased motor activity, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating and, for some people, recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.—Sandi Lloyd
—abbreviation MDD
Sandi LloydExamples of major depressive disorder in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On Thursday, a San Mateo Superior Court judge determined Patel was eligible for mental health diversion due to his major depressive disorder and can live with his parents during his treatment.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024
Health Low-carb diets cause depression A new study concludes that eating more carbohydrates reduces a person’s risk of major depressive disorder.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
On Thursday, Judge Jakubowski cast a skeptical eye at the notion that Patel was suffering anything other than major depressive disorder.
—Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 20 June 2024
The company is working toward Food and Drug Administration approval, with the hopes of coming to market in the next couple of years and eventually applying eye tracking to other mental health concerns, such as major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
—Daliah Singer, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for major depressive disorder 
Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024
Health Low-carb diets cause depression A new study concludes that eating more carbohydrates reduces a person’s risk of major depressive disorder.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
On Thursday, Judge Jakubowski cast a skeptical eye at the notion that Patel was suffering anything other than major depressive disorder.
—Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 20 June 2024
The company is working toward Food and Drug Administration approval, with the hopes of coming to market in the next couple of years and eventually applying eye tracking to other mental health concerns, such as major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
—Daliah Singer, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for major depressive disorder
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'major depressive disorder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Major depressive disorder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/major%20depressive%20disorder. Accessed 1 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
major depressive disorder
noun
: a serious mood disorder involving one or more episodes of intense psychological depression or loss of interest or pleasure that lasts two or more weeks and is accompanied by irritability, fatigue, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, weight gain or loss, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and sometimes suicidal tendencies : clinical depression, major depression
The diagnosis of both major depressive disorder and subsyndromal symptoms is complicated by difficulties that elderly patients may have in recognizing or describing depressive symptoms.—Lawrence M. Martin et al., The John Hopkins White Papers
—abbreviation MDD
Lawrence M. Martin et al., The John Hopkins White PapersLove words? Need even more definitions?
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