depress
make someone deeply sad
To make someone feel very sad and without hope.
to depress [someone]
- The constant bad news on television really depresses me.
- Failing the exam depressed him for weeks.
- It depresses her to think about how much time she has wasted.
- The long, dark winters can depress people who are used to more sunshine.
- Cold, rainy weather depresses me.
- The movie was so sad that it depressed everyone.
- His parents’ divorce depressed him a lot.
- It depresses her when friends cancel their plans.
lower value, amount, or activity
To make a number, price, or level go down.
to depress [prices/levels/demand]
- Higher interest rates tend to depress consumer spending.
- The flood of cheap imports has depressed local wages.
- Weak global demand continues to depress oil prices.
- Uncertainty about the election is depressing investment in the region.
- Bad news can depress stock prices.
- The new tax may depress sales next year.
- Cold weather often depresses electricity demand for air conditioning.
- A strong dollar can depress exports.
press a button or part down
To push a button, key, or pedal down.
to depress [a button/pedal/key]
- To start the machine, depress the green button for three seconds.
- She carefully depressed the piano key to produce a very soft sound.
- Depress the clutch fully before shifting into first gear.
- The device activates when you depress this small silver lever.
- Depress the button to open the door.
- He depressed the brake pedal to stop the car.
- Please depress this key to turn on the light.
- You must depress the clutch before you change gears.
slow or weaken body functions
To make a body system or organ work more slowly or less strongly.
to depress [a system/function]
- These drugs can dangerously depress the central nervous system.
- Long-term use of steroids may depress the immune system.
- The anesthetic depresses respiratory function, so patients must be monitored closely.
- Beta-blockers are used to depress heart rate and lower blood pressure.
- Some medicines depress the nervous system.
- The drug can depress your breathing if you take too much.
- This treatment may depress the immune system for several months.
- Alcohol can depress brain activity at high doses.
- Base: depress
- 3rd Person Singular: depresses
- Present Participle: depressing
- Past: depressed
depress demand
1lower market demand
To make people want to buy less of a product or service.
- Rising interest rates are likely to depress demand for new homes.
- Higher fuel prices can depress demand for air travel.
depress economic growth
1slow economic growth
To make the economy grow more slowly.
- Rising energy costs are expected to depress economic growth next year.
- Political instability has depressed economic growth in the region.
depress prices
1push prices downward
To make prices go down in a market.
- An oversupply of goods has depressed prices this year.
- The sharp drop in demand continues to depress prices across the industry.
depress the brake pedal
1press the brake pedal down
To push the brake pedal down to slow or stop a vehicle.
- Firmly depress the brake pedal if you see an obstacle ahead.
- He quickly depressed the brake pedal when the light turned red.
depress the button
1press a button down
To push a button down to make a machine or device work.
- Depress the button to start the washing cycle.
- If the alarm sounds, depress the red button immediately.
depress the clutch
1press the clutch pedal down
To push the clutch pedal down when driving a manual car.
- Depress the clutch before you start the engine.
- You should depress the clutch fully when changing gear.
depress the key
1press a key down
To push a key down on a piano, keyboard, or similar device.
- Gently depress the key to produce a softer sound.
- To enter the command, depress the F5 key.
I don't want to depress you, but
1soften the introduction of bad news
A way to start a sentence when you are going to say something that might make someone feel sad or negative.
- I don't want to depress you, but the weather forecast says it will rain all week.
- I don't want to depress you, but the test next month is going to be very difficult.