clinical depression: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Medical/Clinical, Academic, Formal/Informed Everyday
Quick answer
What does “clinical depression” mean?
A severe and persistent mental disorder characterized by profound and long-lasting feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in daily activities, meeting specific diagnostic criteria.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A severe and persistent mental disorder characterized by profound and long-lasting feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in daily activities, meeting specific diagnostic criteria.
A medically diagnosed mood disorder of significant severity that disrupts daily functioning, requiring professional treatment; often contrasted with temporary sadness or low mood.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Both use the term identically.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties; carries the same medical/clinical weight.
Frequency
Equally common in medical, academic, and informed public discourse in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “clinical depression” in a Sentence
suffer from clinical depressionbe diagnosed with clinical depressiontreat sb for clinical depressionclinical depression manifests as...clinical depression is characterized by...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clinical depression” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He was hospitalised after being diagnosed as clinically depressed.
- The GP referred her as she was clearly suffering from clinical depression.
American English
- She was hospitalized after being diagnosed with clinical depression.
- The physician determined that he was clinically depressed.
adverb
British English
- He was clinically depressed for over a year.
- The patient presented clinically as severely depressed.
American English
- She is clinically depressed and undergoing treatment.
- The symptoms manifested clinically as a major depressive disorder.
adjective
British English
- She sought help for a clinically depressive state.
- His condition was clearly clinical.
American English
- She was in a clinical depressive episode.
- The diagnosis was a clinical depression.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in HR/well-being contexts: 'The company's health plan covers treatment for clinical depression.'
Academic
Common in psychology, medicine, sociology: 'The study examined biomarkers in adolescents with clinical depression.'
Everyday
Used in informed discussions about mental health: 'After six months of symptoms, her doctor confirmed it was clinical depression.'
Technical
Precise diagnostic term in psychiatry/clinical psychology, following criteria in DSM-5 or ICD-11.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “clinical depression”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “clinical depression”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clinical depression”
- Using 'clinical depression' to describe a temporary bad mood (e.g., 'I've got clinical depression after that bad meeting').
- Omitting 'clinical' when the diagnostic, severe nature is the key point.
- Confusing it with bipolar disorder or situational adjustment disorder.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While profound sadness is a symptom, clinical depression is a diagnosed medical condition characterized by a persistent cluster of symptoms (like changes in sleep, appetite, energy, concentration) that significantly impair daily functioning for an extended period (typically at least two weeks).
Yes. Clinical depression is a treatable condition. With appropriate intervention, such as psychotherapy (e.g., CBT), medication (e.g., antidepressants), or a combination, many people achieve full remission and recovery, though management may be long-term for some.
Clinical depression (Major Depressive Disorder) involves episodes of severe low mood only. Bipolar disorder involves alternating episodes of depression and periods of abnormally elevated mood (mania or hypomania).
No, that is grammatically and semantically incorrect. The correct constructions are 'has clinical depression,' 'is diagnosed with clinical depression,' 'suffers from clinical depression,' or 'is clinically depressed.'
A severe and persistent mental disorder characterized by profound and long-lasting feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in daily activities, meeting specific diagnostic criteria.
Clinical depression is usually medical/clinical, academic, formal/informed everyday in register.
Clinical depression: in British English it is pronounced /ˌklɪn.ɪ.kəl dɪˈpreʃ.ən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌklɪn.ɪ.kəl dɪˈpreʃ.ən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in the grips of depression”
- “in a deep valley”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'CLINICAL DEPRESSION' = 'Condition Licensed & Identified by Notes In Care: A Lifelong, Deep, Enduring Response Requiring Official Needs.' (Highlights it's a diagnosed, serious condition.)
Conceptual Metaphor
DARKNESS/WEIGHT/BURDEN/ILLNESS: 'She was shrouded in darkness,' 'carrying a heavy weight,' 'crippled by depression,' 'battling an illness.'
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes the key implication of the word 'clinical' in 'clinical depression'?