While both "depress" and "sadden" describe negative emotions, they differ in intensity and scope. "Depress" suggests a more severe and prolonged state of low mood, often involving a loss of interest or pleasure in activities. It implies a clinical level of sadness, potentially requiring professional help. "Sadden," on the other hand, indicates a milder, temporary feeling of sadness, often caused by a specific event. Think of it as a gentler, shorter-lived emotion.

Here are some example sentences to illustrate the difference:

• Depress:

  • "The news of the war deeply depressed him." (The news caused him to experience a prolonged state of sadness and possibly hopelessness.)
  • "His chronic illness has depressed him for years." (The illness has caused him to suffer a persistent and severe low mood for an extended time.)

• Sadden:

  • "The loss of his pet saddened him." (The loss of his pet caused him to feel a temporary and less intense sadness.)
  • "It saddens me to see so much suffering in the world." (The suffering causes him to feel a sadness that is not necessarily long lasting or deeply impactful.)

Notice that "depress" often implies a state of being, whereas "sadden" describes a reaction to something specific. Also, "depress" can be used both transitively (as in the examples above) and intransitively (e.g., "He is depressed."), while "sadden" mostly appears transitively.

Happy learning!