depressive
gb/dɪpɹˈɛsɪv/ us/dɪpɹˈɛsɪv/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
technical
C1
property
1
relating to clinical depression
connected to depression as an illness.
Usage pattern:
depressive + [symptoms/episode/disorder/state]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse depressive (relating to depression) with depressed (feeling sad).
Synonyms
depression-related (More explicit and often used in academic writing.)
|
clinical (Often implies medical assessment rather than general mood.)
Antonyms
manic (Opposite pole of mood in bipolar disorder contexts.)
|
euphoric (Describes unusually elevated mood rather than low mood.)
Collocations
depressive symptoms
|depressive episode
|depressive disorder
|depressive illness
|depressive state
|depressive phase
|depressive features
|depressive relapse
|depressive mood
|depressive severity
Themes
health
|mental_health
|psychology
|medicine
Examples
- The doctor asked about depressive symptoms such as low mood and loss of interest.
- She was treated for a depressive episode that lasted several weeks.
- The report noted depressive features alongside anxiety.
Learner examples
- He has depressive symptoms.
- This medicine can help with depressive episodes.
adjective
B2
property
2
making you feel sad
making you feel very sad or without hope.
Usage pattern:
depressive + [weather/news/film/atmosphere]
Common mistake:
Depressive describes something that causes a low mood; depressed describes a person’s feelings.
Synonyms
gloomy (More common and less intense in many contexts.)
|
dispiriting (Emphasizes loss of confidence or enthusiasm.)
Antonyms
uplifting (Creates a more positive, hopeful feeling.)
|
cheerful (Bright and happy in tone or mood.)
Collocations
depressive weather
|a depressive atmosphere
|depressive news
|a depressive mood
|a depressive film
|depressive thoughts
|a depressive setting
|depressive music
|a depressive feeling
|a depressive tone
Themes
emotions
|everyday_life
Examples
- The constant rain made the whole week feel depressive.
- The documentary was powerful but also deeply depressive.
- It’s a depressive thought to imagine the city without its parks.
Learner examples
- This movie is very depressive.
- The dark weather feels depressive.
adjective
C1
property
3
prone to feeling depressed
often sad or likely to become depressed.
Usage pattern:
a depressive [person/personality/temperament]
Common mistake:
This sense describes a tendency over time, not a single moment (for that, use depressed).
Synonyms
melancholic (Often more literary and less clinical.)
|
downbeat (More informal and usually less serious.)
Antonyms
optimistic (Expecting good outcomes rather than focusing on negative ones.)
|
upbeat (More positive and energetic in attitude.)
Collocations
a depressive personality
|depressive tendencies
|a depressive temperament
|a depressive outlook
|depressive traits
|depressive thinking
|a depressive type
Themes
emotions
|people
|personality
Examples
- He isn’t always unhappy, but he can be depressive during stressful periods.
- Her friends describe her as thoughtful, not depressive, despite her quiet style.
- The therapist helped him notice depressive patterns in his thinking.
Learner examples
- She can be depressive in winter.
Noun
technical
C2
role
4
person with depression
a person who has depression.
Usage pattern:
a depressive; depressives
Common mistake:
This noun can sound clinical or outdated; many speakers prefer person with depression.
Synonyms
person with depression (More common and person-first in modern usage.)
Antonyms
non-depressed person (Simply indicates absence of depression, not a personality type.)
Collocations
a depressive
|chronic depressives
|treat depressives
|support for depressives
Themes
health
|mental_health
|people
Examples
- In older clinical writing, patients were sometimes described as depressives.
- The clinic’s program was designed for depressives who had frequent relapses.
Learner examples
- Some books use the word depressive to mean a person with depression.
adjective
formal
C1
property
5
causing economic or general decline
causing things to become weaker or less active, especially the economy.
Usage pattern:
depressive + [effect/influence/conditions/impact]
Common mistake:
In this sense, depressive describes an effect on activity (e.g., sales), not an emotion.
Synonyms
dampening (More common; suggests reducing strength rather than causing sadness.)
|
contractionary (More technical; often used for economic policy.)
Antonyms
stimulative (Encouraging growth or increased activity.)
|
expansionary (Often used for policies that increase economic activity.)
Collocations
a depressive effect
|depressive conditions
|a depressive influence
|a depressive impact
|depressive forces
|depressive pressure
|depressive policy
Themes
business
|economics
|society
Examples
- Higher interest rates can have a depressive effect on borrowing.
- The uncertainty created depressive conditions for investment.
- The new tax was criticized as depressive for small businesses.
Learner examples
- Bad news can have a depressive effect on sales.
Grammar
Dictionary form
depressive
IPA
GB/dɪpɹˈɛsɪv/
US/dɪpɹˈɛsɪv/
Syllables & stress
de - press - ive (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (press)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: depressive
Noun
- Base: depressive
- Plural: depressives
Word family
Forms
depressives
noun
Core family
Related words
depressingly
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
antidepressant
noun
Advanced or less common
depressant
noun
Expressions
depressive disorder
1/dɪpɹˈɛsɪv dɪsˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
type of depression condition
an illness where depression is the main symptom.
Examples
- The study compared anxiety disorders and depressive disorders.
- She receives treatment for a depressive disorder.
- Family history can increase the risk of a depressive disorder.
depressive episode
1/dɪpɹˈɛsɪv ˈɛpɪsˌoʊd/
fixed phrase
technical
period of depression
a time when someone has depression symptoms.
Examples
- She experienced a depressive episode during her first year at university.
- The therapist helped him recognize early signs of a depressive episode.
- Medication reduced the length of each depressive episode.
depressive phase
1/dɪpɹˈɛsɪv fˈeɪz/
fixed phrase
technical
low-mood period in cycles
a time when someone is in a low mood, especially in a cycle.
Examples
- During the depressive phase, she found it hard to get out of bed.
- He learned strategies to manage sleep during a depressive phase.
- The doctor asked whether the depressive phase alternated with high-energy periods.
depressive symptoms
1/dɪpɹˈɛsɪv sˈɪmptəmz/
fixed phrase
technical
signs of depression
signs that someone may have depression.
Examples
- After the breakup, he noticed depressive symptoms that lasted more than two weeks.
- Depressive symptoms are common, but they can have many causes.
- She kept a journal to track depressive symptoms over time.
major depressive disorder
1/mˈeɪd͡ʒɚ dɪpɹˈɛsɪv dɪsˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
clinical depression diagnosis
a medical diagnosis for serious, long-lasting depression.
Examples
- He was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and started treatment.
- Major depressive disorder can affect sleep, appetite, and concentration.
- The clinician screened for major depressive disorder during the visit.
manic-depressive illness
1/mˈænɪk dɪpɹˈɛsɪv ˈɪlnəs/
fixed phrase
technical
older term for bipolar disorder
an old name for bipolar disorder.
Examples
- Older books may refer to bipolar disorder as manic-depressive illness.
- She read an early memoir that used the term manic-depressive illness.
- The clinician explained that manic-depressive illness is now commonly called bipolar disorder.