Depression
/dɪˈpɹɛʃən/
Definitions
5 meaningsA mood disorder causing a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.
/dɪˈpɹɛʃən/
A state of low spirits; sadness.
Clinical depression can significantly impact a person's daily life.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're feeling super bummed out, like nothing seems fun or interesting. That's kind of what depression feels like – a sadness that sticks around and makes it hard to enjoy things.
👶 For kids: When you feel really, really sad for a long time and don't like doing fun things.
More Examples
She sought therapy to help manage her depression.
He experienced episodes of depression after the loss of his job.
How It's Used
"He suffered from severe depression following his divorce."
"She felt a wave of depression wash over her after hearing the news."
A sustained, long-term downturn in economic activity, characterized by high unemployment and reduced business activity.
/dɪˈpɹɛʃən/
A reduction in economic activity or business.
The economic depression led to widespread poverty and hardship.
💡 Simply: Imagine the economy is like a playground. During a depression, it's like all the swings break, and there's no one playing. Lots of people lose their jobs, and it's hard for businesses to make money.
👶 For kids: When lots of people lose their jobs and it's hard to buy things.
More Examples
The country struggled to recover from the depression.
Historical accounts often detail the impact of the depression on families.
How It's Used
"The Great Depression was a devastating period of economic decline."
A sunken or hollow place in a surface.
/dɪˈpɹɛʃən/
A low-lying area.
The meteor left a large depression in the ground.
💡 Simply: Imagine a little dip in the ground, like a bowl, where water might collect after it rains.
👶 For kids: A little hole in the ground.
More Examples
The lake occupied a natural depression in the landscape.
The farmer used the depression to store water.
How It's Used
"The land formed a natural depression where rainwater collected."
"The geologists studied the depression in the earth's surface."
An area of low atmospheric pressure, often associated with cloudy weather and precipitation.
/dɪˈpɹɛʃən/
An area of low atmospheric pressure.
The weather forecast warned of a developing depression.
💡 Simply: A place in the sky where the air pressure is lower, often bringing clouds and rain.
👶 For kids: A place in the sky where the air is less heavy, which can bring rain.
More Examples
The movement of the depression brought heavy rainfall.
Meteorologists track depressions to predict storms.
How It's Used
"A depression is often associated with cloudy weather."
A decrease in value.
/dɪˈpɹɛʃən/
The depression of the currency caused the country's economy to suffer.
💡 Simply: Something went down in price or value.
👶 For kids: Something got less valuable.
More Examples
There was a depression of prices during the sale.
The value of the stocks saw a depression.
How It's Used
"There was a depression in the value of assets."
Idioms & expressions
the Great Depression
A severe worldwide economic depression that occurred in the 1930s.
"The Great Depression had a profound impact on global economies."
suffering from depression
Experiencing the symptoms and effects of depression.
"Many people are suffering from depression during the holiday season."
beat depression
To overcome or manage depression.
"It takes effort to beat depression."
From Late Latin *depressio*, from *deprimere* 'to press down', from *de-* 'down' + *premere* 'to press'. The word has evolved to encompass both a physical lowering (e.g., of the land) and a psychological state.
Historically, depression was used to describe the act of pressing down or lowering something. Over time, its meaning broadened to encompass both physical and emotional states.
Memory tip
Imagine a heavy weight pressing down on your spirit. The weight is depression.
Word Origin
"to press down"