it was really depressing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was really depressing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express a strong feeling of sadness or disappointment about a situation, event, or experience. Example: "After watching the documentary about climate change, I felt that it was really depressing to see the impact on our planet."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

"We arrived in the middle of the night," said Huy. "It was foggy and it was cold and it was really depressing.

The Guardian

Yes, it was really depressing going straight from a keynote interview with Elon Musk, who builds electric cars and spaceships, to an excited announcement of a new platform that "lets you build mobile games for two platforms at once!" Woo.

TechCrunch

I couldn't, and honestly thinking about it was really depressing so I stopped.

Vice

Maggie Lee: After my mom died, I was in New Jersey and it was really depressing.

Vice

We sat here and looked at like 50 emails we've gotten in the last couple days and it was really depressing.

Vice

"It was really depressing, a horrible time, to be honest.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

"It's really depressing.

The New Yorker

"It is really depressing.

The Guardian - Money

The thing is that for someone like me, it's really depressing.

The Guardian

"It's really depressing just watching money take flight," she said.

The New York Times - Magazine

Marko said: "I hope the reliability issues are solved pretty soon because it is really depressing how much we are losing on the straights".

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a situation as "it was really depressing", provide specific details or context to show why it evoked such feelings. This adds depth and credibility to your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "it was really depressing" as a standalone statement without explaining what "it" refers to or why it was depressing. Always provide context to ensure clarity and impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was really depressing" functions as a declarative statement expressing a subjective emotional state. It conveys a feeling of sadness or discouragement in response to a particular situation, as Ludwig confirms.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "it was really depressing" effectively expresses a strong sense of sadness or discouragement. As Ludwig AI validates, it is grammatically correct and commonly used across various contexts, particularly in News & Media. While versatile, it benefits from context to enhance clarity and impact. For more formal settings, consider alternatives like "it was truly disheartening". By providing specific details, you can elevate your writing beyond a simple declaration of feeling.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was truly disheartening

Replaces "really depressing" with a more formal synonym "truly disheartening".

it was extremely demoralizing

Substitutes "depressing" with "demoralizing", implying a loss of morale or confidence.

the experience was utterly bleak

Changes the sentence structure and replaces "depressing" with "utterly bleak", emphasizing the lack of hope.

it left me feeling despondent

Alters the phrasing to focus on the emotional impact on the speaker, using "despondent".

it was a crushing disappointment

Emphasizes the disappointment aspect of the experience rather than just sadness.

it was profoundly upsetting

Replaces "depressing" with "upsetting", indicating emotional distress.

it cast a pall over everything

Uses a more figurative expression to describe the negative impact of the situation.

it was a source of great sorrow

Highlights the sadness associated with the experience, framing it as a "source of great sorrow".

it was heavy on my heart

Uses a more emotional and evocative expression to convey the feeling of sadness.

it was a real downer

Offers an informal alternative, using the slang term "downer".

FAQs

What does "it was really depressing" mean?

The phrase "it was really depressing" expresses a strong feeling of sadness, disappointment, or discouragement about a specific situation, event, or experience.

What can I say instead of "it was really depressing"?

You can use alternatives like "it was truly disheartening", "it was extremely demoralizing", or "the experience was utterly bleak" to express a similar sentiment.

Is "it was really depressing" too informal for academic writing?

While not strictly incorrect, "it was really depressing" may be perceived as less formal. For academic writing, consider using more sophisticated alternatives like "it was truly disheartening" or "it was profoundly disappointing".

How can I make my description more impactful than saying "it was really depressing"?

To make your description more impactful, provide specific details about the situation and explain the emotional or psychological effects it had on you. For example, instead of saying "it was really depressing", you could say "the constant negativity created a feeling of hopelessness that permeated the entire project".