ENGLISH
REFERENCE

antidepressant

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌæntidɪˈpɹɛsənt// UK //ˌæntɪdɪpɹˈɛsənt// an·tide·pres·sant

n. a type of medicine that doctors prescribe to help people feel better when they are sad or have very low energy for a long time.

n. a class of medication used to treat clinical depression and other mood disorders by altering brain chemistry.


SIMPLE

The doctor prescribed an antidepressant to help him sleep better.

CONTEXTUAL

After several weeks of taking the antidepressant, she noticed a significant improvement in her ability to concentrate at work.

COMPLEX

While antidepressants are effective for many patients, they often require several weeks of consistent use before the full therapeutic benefits become apparent in the brain's neural pathways.

Origin

From anti- + depressant.

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