3 syllables: De, press, ion. Stress on press.
dip-RESH-uhn
/dɪˈpɹɛʃən/
Depression is pronounced dip-RESH-uhn (/dɪˈpɹɛʃən/). It has three syllables (De-press-ion), with the stress on "press". Depression is a state of low mood and diminished interest or pleasure in activities, lasting for an extended period and impairing daily functioning. It can also refer to a downward mental or economic trend. In medicine, it denotes a mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness, fatigue, and changes in sleep or appetite. The term encompasses both emotional and clinical dimensions.
nounDepression is a state of low mood and diminished interest or pleasure in activities, lasting for an extended period and impairing daily functioning. It can also refer to a downward mental or economic trend. In medicine, it denotes a mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness, fatigue, and changes in sleep or appetite. The term encompasses both emotional and clinical dimensions.
How to Pronounce Depression
"The country is in a depression after the market crash, with unemployment rising."
"Her depression affected her sleep and concentration for months."
"The painter's mood shifted into a deep depression, influencing his work."
Pronounced dɪˈprɛʃən. The primary stress falls on the second syllable: de-PRE-sion. Start with a short d, then the /ɪ/ as in 'kit', followed by /ˈprɛ/ with a clear 'pre' as in 'press', then a schwa /ə/ in the final syllable and a light 'n' ending. The 's' is voiced as an /ʃ/ followed by a consonant cluster /ʃən/? Actually the sequence is /prɛ/ then /ʃən/. IPA: /dɪˈprɛʃən/.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (e.g., de-pression) and blending the /t/ or mispronouncing /ʃ/ as /s/ or /tʃ/. Another frequent issue is shortening the final syllable or turning /ən/ into /n/. Correct by emphasizing the second syllable with a clear /ɛ/ and a light, reduced final /ən/ without adding extra consonants. Practice: dɪ-ˈprɛ-ʃən.
In US English, the /ɪ/ in the first syllable is short, and /ˈprɛ/ has a crisp /r/; final /ən/ is a quick, schwa-like sound. In UK English, /dɪˈprɛʃən/ features non-rhoticity, with a weaker /r/ and a slightly shortened second syllable; /ə/ may be a bit more centralized. Australian English tends toward a broader /ɪ/ and a more articulated /ʃ/; the final /ən/ tends to be a clearer schwa with less flapping. Overall, stress stays on the second syllable across accents.
The difficulty comes from the /pr/ cluster, the /ʃ/ sound following, and the final unstressed -ən. Sequencing: you move from a tense /ɪ/ to /pr/ into /ɛ/, then glide into /ʃ/ and finish with a light /ən/. The consonant cluster after the vowel is tricky for speakers who avoid /r/ in non-rhotic dialects or who approximate /ʃ/ as /s/ or /tʃ/. Concentrate on separating the second and third syllables clearly.
Does depression have a syllable-timed rhythm, or is it stress-timed? The word itself is stress-timed, with primary stress on the second syllable: de-PRE-sion. The rhythm you hear worldwide hinges on the surrounding words; in fluent speech, you often reduce the final syllable to a softer /ən/ and connect it to the next word (linking). Awareness of the schwa and the /ʃ/ will drive naturalness.
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Depression comes from the Latin depressio, from deprimere meaning to press down, push away, or suppress. The Latin de- indicates down, while premere means to press. The term entered English in the 16th century with senses relating to pressing down or lowering. By the 17th century, medical writers used depression to describe a condition of lowering spirits, with later expansions to denote a clinical mood disorder. The word evolved to cover both emotional states (sadness, low spirits) and economic contexts (depression in markets). In psychology and psychiatry, the word stabilized around its modern sense of a persistent low mood affecting functioning, with formal diagnostic criteria emerging in the 20th century. Historically, “depress” also appears in physical contexts (e.g., depress a valve) reflecting the core idea of pressing down or lowering—this metaphorical extension helped shape the mental-health interpretation as an enduring downward pull on mood and energy.
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Words that rhyme with "Depression"
-ion sounds
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