depression

A mental health condition that causes lasting sadness, low energy, and loss of interest in daily life.

• She has depression.
• He received treatment for depression last year.
• Her doctor asked about symptoms of depression.

Common phrases: have depression, severe depression, treatment for depression

A long period when business activity falls greatly and many people lose their jobs.

• The country entered a depression.
• Many businesses closed during the depression.
• The government feared another economic depression.

Similar words: slump

Opposites: boom

Common phrases: economic depression, great depression, during a depression

A state of feeling very sad and unhappy.

• A feeling of depression followed his disappointment.
• Her depression lifted when her friends arrived.
• He sank into depression after losing the match.

Similar words: sadness, gloom, dejection

Opposites: happiness

Common phrases: deep depression, feeling of depression, period of depression

A part of a surface that is lower than the area around it.

• Water collected in a small depression.
• The heavy box left a depression in the cushion.
• She filled the depressions in the ground with soil.

How to use it: a depression in something (There was a shallow depression in the metal.)

Similar words: hollow, dip

Opposites: bump

Common phrases: shallow depression, depression in something, small depression, natural depression

The act of pushing or moving something down.

• Depression of the pedal starts the motor.
• The switch requires full depression to work.
• Repeated depression of the lever damaged the spring.

How to use it: depression of something (Depression of the lever releases the lock.)

Common phrases: depression of something, pedal depression, full depression