depressing
adjective
de·press·ing di-ˈpre-siŋ 
dē-
: that depresses
especially : causing emotional depression
a depressing story
depressingly
di-ˈpre-siŋ-lē
adverb dē-
Synonyms
- black
- bleak
- cheerless
- chill
- Cimmerian
- cloudy
- cold
- comfortless
- dark
- darkening
- depressive
- 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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
This rainy weather is depressing. He paints a depressing picture of modern life.
Recent Examples on the Web The reason is, frankly, depressing, as Vosshall, Younger, and their colleagues have found. 
Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Aug. 2022 And in deeply depressing or sad moments, comedy is a natural relief. Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN, 24 Aug. 2022 New construction continues in Bahrain — much of it in Diyar Al Muharraq, a complex of seven artificial islands located near Manama — with about 9,000 new units expected by 2026, likely further depressing rents, Mr. Khan said. New York Times, 27 July 2022 By turns exhilarating and depressing, the film left me thinking about the appeal of alcohol. Lettie Teague, WSJ, 8 July 2022 Going through a significant split with kids — some of the most exhausting and depressing work ever. Wayne And Wanda, Anchorage Daily News, 26 June 2022 Some of them have found it too depressing to contemplate. Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic, 15 June 2022 The state of music journalism in 2022 is pitiful and depressing. Steve Baltin, Forbes, 1 June 2022 Does anybody in these depressing and violent times really care about books? Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 25 May 2022 See More
Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Aug. 2022 And in deeply depressing or sad moments, comedy is a natural relief. Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN, 24 Aug. 2022 New construction continues in Bahrain — much of it in Diyar Al Muharraq, a complex of seven artificial islands located near Manama — with about 9,000 new units expected by 2026, likely further depressing rents, Mr. Khan said. New York Times, 27 July 2022 By turns exhilarating and depressing, the film left me thinking about the appeal of alcohol. Lettie Teague, WSJ, 8 July 2022 Going through a significant split with kids — some of the most exhausting and depressing work ever. Wayne And Wanda, Anchorage Daily News, 26 June 2022 Some of them have found it too depressing to contemplate. Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic, 15 June 2022 The state of music journalism in 2022 is pitiful and depressing. Steve Baltin, Forbes, 1 June 2022 Does anybody in these depressing and violent times really care about books? Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 25 May 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1629, in the meaning defined above
depressing 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer the depressing atmosphere of the empty mall Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- bleak
- depressive
- somber
- dark
- lonely
- darkening
- desolate
- morbid
- depressed
- cold
- gray
- murky
- solemn
- miserable
- lonesome
- sad
- morose
- gloomy
- dismal
- black
- blue
- cheerless
- glum
- dreary
- wretched
- lugubrious
- chill
- disconsolate
- dire
- funereal
- oppressive
- melancholy
- elegiac
- sullen
- grey
- drear
- forlorn
- godforsaken
- cloudy
- saturnine
- comfortless
- sombre
- sepulchral
- plutonian
- dispiriting
- discouraging
- disheartening
- tenebrous
- unhappy
- sunless
- dreich
- distressing
- desperate
- upsetting
- negative
- dull
- hopeless
- dismaying
- grim
- melancholic
- elegiacal
- discomfiting
- dejected
- distressful
- woebegone
- mournful
- pessimistic
- tenebrific
- dim
- despondent
- mirthless
- woeful
- down
- low
- hangdog
- inconsolable
- sorrowful
- menacing
- droopy
- drab
- lamentable
- Cimmerian
- dour
- plaintive
- threatening
- colorless
- lowering
- lowery
- louring
- loury
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- comforting
- cheerful
- cheery
- bright
- festive
- friendly
- gay
- joyous
- joyful
- sunshiny
- buoyant
- jolly
- optimistic
- cordial
- heartwarming
- blithe
- merry
- gay
- encouraging
- mirthful
- hopeful
- cheering
- lighthearted
- blithesome
- jocund
- lightsome
2
as in sad
causing unhappiness more depressing news about the famine overseas Synonyms & Similar Words
- sad
- pathetic
- heartbreaking
- saddening
- melancholy
- disturbing
- mournful
- unfortunate
- dismal
- tearful
- dreary
- drear
- distressing
- teary
- distressful
- deplorable
- disquieting
- heartrending
- dispiriting
- disheartening
- discomforting
- discouraging
- sorry
- lamentable
- affecting
- moving
- touching
- perturbing
- poignant
- woeful
- grievous
- discomposing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cheery
- happy
- uplifting
- glad
- inspiring
- stimulating
- heartening
- pleasant
- stirring
- delightful
- enjoyable
- satisfying
- cheering
- welcome
- heartwarming
- pleasurable
- agreeable
- pleasing
- exhilarating
- thrilling
depressing
2 of 2verb
1
as in saddening
to make sad the thought of once again failing the bar exam depressed me Synonyms & Similar Words
- saddening
- troubling
- dejecting
- distressing
- worrying
- oppressing
- disturbing
- weighing down
- burdening
- concerning
- dispiriting
- unsettling
- disheartening
- discouraging
- getting down
- bothering
- tormenting
- upsetting
- disquieting
- unnerving
- dismaying
- discomforting
- bumming (out)
- demoralizing
- afflicting
- ailing
- daunting
- torturing
- dashing
- perturbing
- agitating
- undoing
- discomposing
- unhinging
- exercising
- freaking (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- comforting
- exciting
- rejoicing
- invigorating
- reassuring
- brightening
- lightening
- stimulating
- consoling
- soothing
- enlivening
- inspiring
- animating
- assuring
- exhilarating
- gratifying
- encouraging
- buoying
- gladdening
- uplifting
- cheering (up)
- solacing
- pleasing
- lifting
- elating
- heartening
- elevating
- delighting
- boosting
2
as in lowering
to cause to fall intentionally or unintentionally construction workers depressed the roadbed in order to make way for an overpass Synonyms & Similar Words
- lowering
- throwing
- dropping
- throwing down
- flattening
- sinking
- fumbling
- knocking down
- bungling
- striking down
- knocking over
- plunking down
- toppling
- leveling
- flooring
- plonking down
- plopping
- submerging
- immersing
- foozling
- bobbling
- levelling
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- lifting
- raising
- picking up
3
as in reducing
to diminish the price or value of the glut of wheat on the market has depressed that commodity for most of the past year Synonyms & Similar Words
- reducing
- sinking
- lowering
- attenuating
- devaluing
- shrinking
- devaluating
- cheapening
- depreciating
- downgrading
- writing down
- writing off
- marking down
- breaking
- debasing
- deflating
- demonetizing
- downsizing
- dwindling
- undervaluing
- compressing
- underrating
- underestimating
- lessening
- contracting
- moderating
- abridging
- underpricing
- de-escalating
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- appreciating
- enhancing
- upgrading
- inflating
- increasing
- marking up
- bloating
- blowing up
- escalating
- swelling
- adding
- boosting
- amplifying
- multiplying
- augmenting
- expanding
- enlarging
- compounding
- raising
- heightening
- maximizing
- dilating
- extending
- overestimating
- overrating
- aggrandizing
- ballooning
- overpricing
- overvaluing
- upping
4
as in pressing
to push steadily against with some force depressed the lever to start the machine Synonyms & Similar Words
- pressing
- shoving
- compressing
- compelling
- squeezing
- punching
- bearing (down on)
- weighing (on or upon)
- forcing
- pressuring
- squashing
- squishing
- squooshing
- mashing
- crushing
- constricting
- thrusting
- condensing
- propelling
- driving
- jam-packing
- jamming
- contracting
- wringing
- wedging
- muscling
- compacting
- stuffing
- packing
- cramming
- leaning (on or against)
- scrunching