depressing

adjective

de·​press·​ing di-ˈpre-siŋ How to pronounce depressing (audio)
dē-
: that depresses
especially : causing emotional depression
a depressing story
depressingly adverb

Examples of depressing in a Sentence

This rainy weather is depressing. He paints a depressing picture of modern life.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For women, the situation is even more depressing with 90% of women excluded from the workforce, unable to work outside their homes. Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025 And blame can be depressing; accepting responsibility for something that went terribly wrong is often painful and embarrassing. Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 14 July 2025 His views on the current state of cinema are rather depressing. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 July 2025 In its mixture of excitement, wit, and fear, Jurassic Park comes close to Jaws, though the calculation involved in Spielberg’s recent big-machine approach to moviemaking can be depressing. David Denby, Vulture, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for depressing

Word History

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of depressing was in 1629

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Cite this Entry

“Depressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depressing. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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