depressive

1 of 2

adjective

de·​pres·​sive di-ˈpre-siv 

dē-

1

: tending to depress

2

: of, relating to, marked by, or affected by psychological depression

depressive symptoms

a depressive patient

depressively adverb

depressive

2 of 2

noun

: one who is affected with or prone to psychological depression

Synonyms

Adjective

• black
• bleak
• cheerless
• chill
• Cimmerian
• cloudy
• cold
• comfortless
• dark
• darkening
• depressing
• desolate
• dire
• disconsolate
• dismal
• drear
• dreary
• dreich [chiefly Scottish]
• elegiac
• elegiacal
• forlorn
• funereal
• gloomy
• glum
• godforsaken
• gray
• grey
• lonely
• lonesome
• lugubrious
• miserable
• morbid
• morose
• murky
• plutonian
• saturnine
• sepulchral
• solemn
• somber
• sombre
• sullen
• sunless
• tenebrific
• tenebrous
• wretched

Examples of depressive in a Sentence

Adjective

the depressive story about a struggling artist

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Even among those who said the pandemic had no long-term effects on their friendships, 38% still reported depressive symptoms. —Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 2 May 2025

Some studies suggest that kids who are more likely to seek out adult content could struggle with lower self-esteem, emotional problems, body image concerns, or depressive symptoms. —ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2025

Noun

Like any self-respecting depressive who’s unready to address her self-sabotaging, Laurie bails on their impromptu intervention before entrées. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025

Also, single high-dose LSD treatment very likely works in patients with depressive or anxiety disorders. —New Atlas, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1937, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing depressive

• major depressive disorder
• manic-depressive
• manic-depressive illness

Rhymes for depressive

• aggressive
• compressive
• concessive
• excessive
• expressive
• impressive
• obsessive
• oppressive
• possessive
• progressive
• recessive
• regressive

Medical Definition

depressive

1 of 2 adjective

de·​pres·​sive di-ˈpres-iv 

1

: tending to depress

2

: of, relating to, marked by, or affected by psychological depression

the patient was paranoid and depressive

depressive symptoms

depressive

2 of 2 noun

: one who is affected with or prone to psychological depression