# depression vs depressive

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### depression
*noun · IPA /dɪˈpɹɛʃn̩/ · frequency rank #2,670*
A state of mind producing serious, long-term lowering of enjoyment of life or inability to visualize a happy future; any of several mental disorders with this state of mind as a central feature.

### depressive
*adjective · IPA /dɪˈpɹɛsɪv/ · frequency rank #19,574*
Causing depression; dispiriting.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/depression-vs-depressive