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.
Yes. DEPRESSANT is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 13 points in Scrabble, 15 in Words With Friends and 14 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | D | E | P | R | E | S | S | A | N | T | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| Words With Friends | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| Wordfeud | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
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.
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 Latin deprimere breaks down into de- (down) + premere (to press), literally meaning "to press down" or "reduce."
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of DEPRESSANT.
Hooks: no front hooks; back DEPRESSANTS.
Words inside DEPRESSANT: 759 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: ADEPTNESSPANTDRESSPEDERASTSASPERSEDPARENTEDPEARTNESSPEDERASTPREDATESPRETENDSREPASSEDREPASTEDRESPADES. See all words from DEPRESSANT.