# antidepressant

/ˌæntidɪˈpɹɛsənt/ (US) · /ˌæntɪdɪpɹˈɛsənt/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/antidepressant
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

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.

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

## Examples

- The doctor prescribed an antidepressant to help him sleep better.
- After several weeks of taking the antidepressant, she noticed a significant improvement in her ability to concentrate at work.
- 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.

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