3

Is news depressing or depressive? In what situations would you use these two words?

According to dicionary.com:

depressive - tending to depress

depressing - serving to depress; inducing a state of depression

That's why I'm asking. Those 2 explanations are very similar. Perhaps it's the difference is in intention?

Improve this question
1
  • 4
    Welcome to ELU. What does a dictionary tell you about the words? Please don't ask people to re-present to you the basic research you have already done. You may want to read the answer to a related Meta question on how to ask about word differences and similarities.
    – Andrew Leach ♦
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 20:07

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
3

Depressive mood and depressing scene.

The state of being depressed is depressive, but things that provoke depression are depressing.

I'm depressed.

I'm in a depressive mood.

I've seen a depressing video.

Improve this answer
3
  • 1
    I'm IN a depressive mood. Although I prefer In a depressed mood than depressive mood.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Commented Jul 30, 2014 at 6:49
  • But the dictionary definition OP gives for 'depressive' as 'tending to depress'. Dictionary endorsement is needed for counterclaims.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jun 13 at 14:26
  • Merriam-Webster has both meanings of depressive: "tending to depress" and "of, relating to, marked by, or affected by psychological depression".
    – Stuart F
    Commented Jun 13 at 15:53
1

"Depressive" can be an adjective or a noun; as an adjective I've only ever seen it in the phrase "depressive disorder".

As a noun, "depressive" can mean:

  • some intangible thing that is depressing (such as news)
  • a substance that has the effect of depressing mood or function: alcohol is a well-known depressive
  • a person who suffers from depression
Improve this answer
1
  • 1
    Psychiatrists use it to describe symptoms and states of depression: "depressive symptoms" and "a depressive episode" as well as, e.g., MDD (major depressive disorder). Using it to mean "a person who suffers from depression" is no longer PC in the biomed field, but psychiatrists don't much care about that.
    – user21497
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 23:43
0

According to one of the definitions of "depressive" in the esteemed OED (Oxford English Dictionary) the term can be validly used to mean depressing: "figurative. Tending to produce depression, esp. of the spirits; of depressing nature."

Improve this answer
0

One distinction between the two is that "depressive" can be used as an adjective with purely material implications while "depressing" cannot. If a phenomenon has a depressive effect on the job market, unemployment goes up. If it has a depressing effect, it makes people sad.

Improve this answer
1
  • Very valid point. Was about to upvotebacking should be provided.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jun 13 at 14:27

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .