How to pronounce depress
Say it like dih-PRES. Depress has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PRES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce depress. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- PRES
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Depress pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- PRESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of depress
American and British speakers say depress in essentially the same way: /dɪˈprɛs/ in the US and /dɪˈprɛs/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-PRES.
What does depress mean?
- To press down.“Depress the upper lever to start the machine.”
- To make depressed, sad or bored.“Winter depresses me.”
- To cause a depression or a decrease in parts of the economy.“Lower productivity will eventually depress wages.”
Where does depress come from?
From Middle English depressen, from Old French depresser, from Latin dēpressus, perfect participle of dēprimō (“to press down, to weigh down”), from dē- (“off, away, down, out”) + premō (“to press”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with depress
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of depress.
Questions about saying depress
How do you pronounce depress?
Say dih-PRES. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈprɛs/. In British English it is /dɪˈprɛs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in depress?
Depress has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PRES). Broken into parts: dih · PRES.
Do Americans and Brits say depress the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈprɛs/ and the British form is /dɪˈprɛs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.