dih-PRES-ant
Depressant is a drug that reduces arousal and stimulation in the brain by slowing down the central nervous system. These substances include alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and opioids.
13
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
💡 Pro Tip:
DEPRESSANT is a valuable 10-letter word worth 13 base points. Double letters (E,S,S) provide excellent opportunities for parallel plays. The -ANT suffix is common and can help you build or extend words. Playing all 7 tiles from your rack earns a 50-point bonus!
A depressant is a drug or substance that slows down the activity of the central nervous system (CNS), reducing arousal, stimulation, and various brain functions. Also known as CNS depressants or colloquially as "downers," these substances decrease neurotransmission levels and the electrical activity of brain cells. The term encompasses a broad category of psychoactive substances that produce sedation, muscle relaxation, lowered anxiety, and decreased alertness.
Depressants work primarily by enhancing the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the brain's main inhibitory neurotransmitter. When GABA activity increases, nerve cells fire less frequently, leading to the calming and sedating effects characteristic of these drugs. Some depressants also inhibit glutamatergic or monoaminergic activity, further reducing brain excitation. This mechanism makes depressants effective for treating anxiety, insomnia, seizures, and muscle spasms.
The major categories of depressants include alcohol (the world's most widely used depressant), benzodiazepines (like Valium and Xanax), barbiturates (such as phenobarbital), opioids (including morphine and oxycodone), and sleep medications (Z-drugs like Ambien). Each class has different potencies, durations of action, and specific medical uses. While therapeutically valuable, all depressants carry risks of tolerance, dependence, and potentially fatal respiratory depression when taken in excess.
Importantly, despite the similar name, antidepressant medications are NOT depressants. Antidepressants work to elevate mood in people with depression, while depressants slow brain activity regardless of emotional state. This common confusion highlights why medical terminology requires precise understanding—the "depressant" in CNS depressant refers to depressing (slowing) nervous system activity, not causing emotional depression.
In word games, DEPRESSANT is a solid 10-letter word worth 13 points in Scrabble. The double S provides excellent parallel play opportunities, while the common -ANT suffix makes it easier to build from existing words. The word contains useful medium-value letters like P (3 points) and D (2 points) that can multiply nicely on premium squares.
The word "depressant" combines the Latin root deprimere meaning "to press down" with the suffix "-ant" indicating an agent or substance that performs an action. The Latindeprimere breaks down into de- (down) + premere (to press), literally meaning "to press down" or "reduce."
Medical terminology evolution:
The suffix "-ant" (from Latin -antem) creates a noun meaning "something that performs the action of the verb." Thus, a depressant is literally "something that depresses" or reduces activity. This construction parallels other medical terms like stimulant (stimulates), relaxant (relaxes), and intoxicant (intoxicates).
Related terms from the same root:
Alternative terms for depressants
CNS Depressant
Medical/formal term
Sedative
Calming medication
Downer
Informal/street term
Tranquilizer
Anti-anxiety focus
Hypnotic
Sleep-inducing drug
Anxiolytic
Anxiety reducer
Major categories of depressant drugs
Alcohol
Beer, wine, spirits
Benzodiazepines
Valium, Xanax, Ativan
Barbiturates
Phenobarbital, Seconal
Opioids
Morphine, codeine, heroin
Z-drugs
Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata
GHB
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate
Verb Form
depress
The drug will depress CNS activity.
Past Tense
depressed
Breathing was depressed by the medication.
Gerund/Present Participle
depressing
The depressing effect on heart rate.
Plural
depressants
Various depressants have different effects.
Related Medical Terms
Central nervous system depressant
Slows breathing rate
Reduces heart function
Dangerous excess consumption
"The anesthesiologist carefully monitored the patient's breathing, as the depressant effects of the medication could slow respiration to dangerous levels."
"Alcohol acts as a depressant on the central nervous system, which is why drinking impairs coordination, judgment, and reaction time."
"The doctor warned against mixing the prescribed depressant with alcohol, as the combined effects could be life-threatening."
Pharmacology textbook: "Unlike stimulants which increase neural activity, a depressant reduces the electrical signaling between neurons."
Medical journal: "The study examined how different classes of depressants affect GABA receptor subtypes in the brain."
Health education: "Many people mistakenly believe that depressants cause depression; however, the term refers to slowing bodily functions, not mood."
Total base points: 13 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 3 | Consonants: 7
Unique letters: 8 (D,E,P,R,S,A,N,T)
Maximize your score with strategic placement
Double Letter Advantage
The double S offers excellent parallel play opportunities. Look for spots where you can form multiple words using both S tiles simultaneously.
Suffix Building
The -ANT suffix is extremely common. Look for verbs ending in -ESS that you can extend (SUPPRESS → SUPPRESSANT).
Premium Square Strategy
Place the P (3 points) or D (2 points) on double/triple letter scores. The word's length makes it ideal for crossing multiple premium squares.
Bingo Potential
At 10 letters, DEPRESSANT can earn the 50-point bingo bonus if you play it using all 7 tiles from your rack plus 3 on the board.
Smaller words within DEPRESSANT
Pro Tip:
Practice finding these smaller words to set up opportunities for the full word later.
The concept of depressant drugs dates back millennia, with alcohol being humanity's oldest known depressant. Archaeological evidence shows fermented beverages were produced as early as 7000 BCE in China. However, the scientific understanding of how depressants work didn't emerge until the 19th century with advances in neurology and pharmacology.
The synthesis of barbiturates in 1864 marked the beginning of modern depressant pharmacology. Barbital, marketed in 1903, became the first commercially available barbiturate, revolutionizing treatment for insomnia and anxiety. However, their narrow safety margin and high addiction potential led to numerous overdose deaths, prompting the search for safer alternatives.
The 1960s introduction of benzodiazepines like Librium and Valium transformed depressant therapy. These drugs offered similar benefits to barbiturates but with a much wider safety margin. By the 1970s, Valium had become the most prescribed drug in America, earning the nickname "Mother's Little Helper" and becoming a cultural symbol of the era's approach to managing stress and anxiety.
Today's approach to depressants reflects hard-learned lessons about addiction and dependence. Medical professionals now emphasize short-term use, careful monitoring, and non-pharmaceutical alternatives. The opioid crisis has particularly highlighted the dangers of depressant misuse. Meanwhile, research continues into novel depressants with fewer side effects and lower addiction potential, including drugs targeting specific GABA receptor subtypes.
Common misspellings to avoid
Missing one S
Double P is incorrect
Wrong suffix (-ent vs -ant)
Wrong vowel (i vs e)
Common misunderstandings about depressants
✗ Myth: Depressants cause depression
✓ Fact: They slow brain activity, not mood
✗ Myth: Antidepressants are depressants
✓ Fact: Completely opposite drug classes
✗ Myth: Alcohol is a stimulant
✓ Fact: Alcohol is a CNS depressant
✗ Myth: All depressants are illegal
✓ Fact: Many are prescribed medications
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like DEPRESSANT