Sure. Absolutely correct for pressing down on a button or something similar
For other stuff, it's not common, but I think it's technically correct.
Depending on what it is, "compress" might be a better term than "depress", though.
this post was submitted on 05 Jan 2026
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Tongue depressor is a common example of this use case.
Also many car manuals tell you to depress the brake to start the vehicle.
Yes.
It's weird because the words desynchronize, de-stress, decriminalize mean un-synchronize, un-stress, un-criminalize
So it would seem like depress should mean un-press (let go of the button).
But depress = press !
The de- prefix in Latin also means down, downward.
I think I have seen this more commonly in technical documents than everyday English, maybe there is a reason for that or maybe it just sounds better in that context.
I've recently read it on a hotel key card in the instructions: insert key card and depress lever.
Just remember that depressing a button is not the same thing as making a button sad sometimes
Exactly. Depression is NOT just sadness, but bigger
You can press, depress, re-press, unpress, and compress. Are they all different, are they the same? Hard to say but if you ever write a manual or procedure try to pick one and stick with it.
I think it's used for when something is kept lowered for a bit - so yes, some buttons, but most notably Jam Lids and Levers. Many buttons spring back up at you so those are just presses or taps
See it used for "jam lids" (any jar lid actually, lol) or other packaging because those things can be complex to tell if you're opening it correctly, so by saying "depress" it tells you to press but then simultaneously describes what happens as it is pressed (it goes down) so you know if you're getting anywhere in the process. This is why it's been observed more in technical documents, as rljkeimig notes.
Yes, generally either as you said for "depressing" something, or when referring to a valley or a void in something as a "depression".
I think it used to be one of the original meanings of the word lol.