depressing
dih-PREH-sihng
Depressing (adj) means making someone feel sad or discouraged. Example: “It was a depressing sight — the whole street was boarded up.”
adj
1
Making someone feel sad or discouraged.
"It was a depressing sight — the whole street was boarded up."
"Reading the news lately can feel pretty depressing."
"Grey skies and endless rain made the whole week feel depressing."
How to use depressing
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething that causes sadness or low spirits in the people experiencing it.
Common mistake
"Depressing" describes what causes the feeling; "depressed" describes the person who has the feeling.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
depressing news
depressing thought
depressing statistic
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more depressing
- Superlative
- most depressing
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
It was a _____ sight — the whole street was boarded up.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for depressing
Messing
Lessing
blessing
dressing
pressing
guessing
assessing
caressing
processing
expressing
addressing
witnessing
See all rhymes for depressing →
Frequently asked questions
What does “depressing” mean?
The word “depressing” means making someone feel sad or discouraged. In plain terms, something that causes sadness or low spirits in the people experiencing it.
How do you pronounce “depressing”?
“Depressing” is pronounced dih-PREH-sihng (/dɪˈpɹɛsɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “depressing” in a sentence?
Here is “depressing” used in a sentence: “It was a depressing sight — the whole street was boarded up.”
What is another word for “depressing”?
Words with a similar meaning to “depressing” include grim.
What part of speech is “depressing”?
“Depressing” is an adjective.
Is “depressing” a common word?
“Depressing” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between depressing and depressed?
Depressing describes something that causes sadness or discouragement in others, such as 'depressing news,' while depressed describes a person's own emotional state or a clinical condition of persistent low mood. Depressing is about the cause; depressed is about the feeling.
Is depressing the same as boring?
No, depressing specifically means causing sadness or discouragement, while boring means causing a lack of interest. Something can be boring without being depressing, and vice versa.
What kinds of things are typically called depressing?
Depressing is commonly used for news, weather, statistics, films, or situations that make someone feel sad or discouraged, such as 'a depressing statistic' or 'a depressing grey sky.'
