depression.

1. A hollow or lowered part of a surface or landscape.

2. A state of prolonged low mood, including clinically assessed conditions in appropriate contexts.

3. A prolonged period of severe economic decline and reduced activity.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• shallow depression
• ground depression

On the page

Rainwater filled the shallow depression.

Usage notes

Primary category: setting / environment. Forms: Singular depression; plural depressions. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common.