Depress vs They're bringing her down now

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Depress

Beyond 10,000 (less common)B1

They're bringing her down now

Beyond 10,000 (less common)
 DepressThey're bringing her down now
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //dɪˈprɛs//🇺🇸 //dɪˈprɛs//🇬🇧 //ðeə brɪŋɪŋ hɜː dān naʊ//🇺🇸 //ðɛr brɪŋɪŋ hɜr daʊn naʊ//
MeaningTo make someone feel very sad or low.They are making her feel sad or less confident.
ExampleThe news story really began to __depress__ me after reading it.I can see that they're bringing her down now during the conversation.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonBeyond 10,000 (less common)Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR levelB1-
Collocationsdepress someone, depress a mood, depress rates, depress feelings, depress salesbring someone down, feel down, emotional impact, negative influence, mood swing
Antonymsuplift, cheer, elate-
Common mistakesConfused with 'repress' – to hold back emotions, not to make sad., Using it as an adjective – 'depressing' is the correct form instead., Mixing up tenses – make sure to use the right verb tense for context.Confused with 'bring down' meaning to lower in rank or status., Using the phrase in a formal context where a different expression is required.
Usage notesUse in neutral contexts. Avoid when discussing mental health lightly. More appropriate in serious discussions.Use this phrase in informal contexts to describe someone's negative influence on another person's mood or confidence.

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They're bringing her down now

Frequently asked questions: Depress vs They're bringing her down now

What's the difference between Depress and They're bringing her down now?

Depress: To make someone feel very sad or low. They're bringing her down now: They are making her feel sad or less confident.

Can you show an example of each?

Depress: The news story really began to __depress__ me after reading it. They're bringing her down now: I can see that they're bringing her down now during the conversation.

Can I use Depress and They're bringing her down now interchangeably?

Not always. Depress and They're bringing her down now are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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