Antidepressants are medicines used to treat depression and certain anxiety disorders by altering chemical signaling in the brain. They work gradually over weeks and are often prescribed as part of a broader treatment plan that may include therapy and lifestyle adjustments. This term combines the root for mood, attitude, and the pharmacological class that treats it, and is typically used in clinical, medical, and everyday conversations about mental health care.
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"The doctor adjusted my antidepressants after the side effects improved."
"We discussed antidepressants as part of a comprehensive treatment plan."
"She learned how antidepressants interact with other medications."
"Researchers are studying new antidepressants with faster onset and fewer side effects."
antidepressant comes from the prefix anti‑ (against) + depress‑ (to press down, depress). The suffix ‑ant marks a agent that performs a function. The base depress derives from Latin deprimere (to press down, lower). The medical use emerged in the mid-20th century as drugs were developed to counteract depressive states; later, the term expanded to include a broad class of medications that modulate neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Early antidepressants included tricyclics (TCAs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). The modern term ‘antidepressants’ covers several mechanisms—SSRIs, SNRIs, atypical antidepressants—reflecting evolving pharmacology and psychiatric guidelines. First known uses appear in medical journals of the 1950s as clinicians described improvements in mood with pharmacotherapy. The word has since become standard in clinical notes, patient education, and public discourse about mental health treatment, with ongoing refinements in classification and practice guidelines across languages and cultures.
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Words that rhyme with "antidepressants"
-nts sounds
-ent sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˌæn.ti.dɪˈprɛs.ən(ts)/ in US/UK; stress is on the third syllable: an-ti-DES-? Wait: anti (1st and 2nd) de-press-ants. The primary stress falls on the third syllable: de- PRESS ants. IPA: US /ˌæn.ti.dɪˈprɛs.tənts/; UK /ˌæn.ti.dɪˈprɛs.tən(ts)/. Start with ‘an’ /ˈæn/ then ‘ti’ /ti/ as in tiny, then ‘dep’ part /dɪˈprɛs/ with secondary syllable, ending with /t/ or /ts/ depending on speaker. Try: an-ti-DEP-ress-ants, with a light t-sound at end. Audio reference: consult Pronounce or Forvo for UK/US voices.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress, say anti- and de- as equal stress. 2) Slurring the /dɪˈprɛs/ into /dɪˈprɛs/ without the -t plural, or pronouncing /-ənts/ as /-nts/ too abruptly. 3) Mispronouncing the /ɪ/ in the second syllable; keep a short i as in sitting. Correction: say /ˌæn.ti.dɪˈprɛs.tənts/, with clear /dɪ/ after /ti/, the /prɛs/ with a crisp /s/ before the final /ən(ts)/ depending on dialect.
In US, you’ll hear /ˌæn.ti.dɪˈprɛs.tənts/, rhotic r not present in the word but the /r/ is merged in some sequences; the final /ts/ is typically released. UK often has a slightly lighter /ɪ/ and may end with /-ts/ or /-tən(ts)/ depending on speaker; non-rhotic accents keep r-less forms but influence preceding vowels. Australian tends to a longer /æ/ in the first syllable and a broader /ɜ/ or /ə/ in the central syllables; final consonant tends toward /ts/ in careful speech. Always refer to careful phonetic transcription and audio examples from dictionaries.
It combines multiple phonetic features: a non-stressed prefix anti-, a mid-word de-press with a cluster /pr/ and a plural /-ənts/ or /-ənts/; the sequence /dɪˈprɛs/ requires a light, quick /d/ and a strong /pr/ blend; the final /ts/ consonant cluster can be tricky for learners who are not used to releasing final voiceless consonants after syllabic stress. Practice by breaking into two parts and then connecting: an-ti-dɪ-ˈprɛs-tənts, focusing on the /pr/ blend and the final /ts/ release.
There are no silent letters in antidepressants; the challenge is not silent but multisyllabic structure. The primary stress is on the third syllable (dɪˈprɛs), and the sequence /-tən(ts)/ or /-tənts/ can vary by dialect. The word is not syllable-timed in a simple way; you must manage a mid-word secondary syllable and a final consonant cluster. In practice, maintain a clear /dɪ/ after /ti/ and crisp /prɛs/ before the final /ən(ts)/ or /nts/.
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