depressing

adjective

de·​press·​ing di-ˈpre-siŋ How to pronounce depressing (audio)
dē-
: that depresses
especially : causing emotional depression
a depressing story
depressingly adverb

Examples of depressing in a Sentence

This rainy weather is depressing. He paints a depressing picture of modern life.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The depressing effect of the seasonality is somewhat offset by the ‘5’ effect. Bill Sarubbi, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025 Truly a top-tier insult — but depressing. Alex Edelman, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025 Compelling, sure, but more depressing than funny. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025 The news is depressing, and now the Tribune is ignoring what is, for those who are not sports fans, their leading form of entertainment. Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for depressing

Word History

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of depressing was in 1629

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Cite this Entry

“Depressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depressing. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on depressing

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