Depressive
Depressive adjective - Causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer.
Usage example: the depressive air of a dingy barroom where locals went to drown their sorrows
Melancholic and depressive are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Melancholic" instead the word "Depressive" as an adjective or a noun.
Melancholic
Melancholic noun - Someone subject to melancholia.
Depressive and melancholic are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Depressive" instead the word "Melancholic" as a noun or an adjective.
Nearby Words: melancholy, melancholia
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- down and depressive
- down and melancholic
- melancholy and depressive
- melancholy and melancholic
- dismal and depressive
- dismal and melancholic
- dull and depressive
- dull and melancholic
- downcast and depressive
- downcast and melancholic
- blue and depressive
- blue and melancholic
- sad and depressive
- sad and melancholic
Both words in one sentence
- Varied by singer/songwriter Lloyd Cole in the lyrics of "Perfect Blue": "Whatever I touch turns blue..." note "blue" as in "depressive, melancholic..."
Source: Blessed With Suck / Mythology - As for the others: Tasha (choleric), Uniqua (melancholic, though not depressive, since we're talking about a little kids' show), and Tyrone (phlegmatic).
Cite this Source
Melancholic and Depressive. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 07, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/depressive/melancholic
Depressive & Melancholic. N.p., 2016. Web. 07 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/depressive/melancholic>.
Melancholic or Depressive. 2016. Accessed August 07, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/depressive/melancholic.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "depressive" and "melancholic" have occurred on timeline