Depression vs. Indentation — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 28, 2023
Depression refers to a feeling of sadness or a physically sunken area, while indentation is a recess or notch, often related to writing or surface formatting.
Difference Between Depression and Indentation
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Depression can refer to a mental health condition characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and a lack of interest or pleasure in daily activities. Indentation, on the other hand, primarily describes a physical recess or notch, commonly used in the context of writing to denote a new paragraph or section.
In another context, depression can describe a geographical term, referring to an area of land that is lower than its surroundings. This might be a valley, basin, or other sunken landform. Indentation, in a different sense, can mean a coastline's inward curve or a harbor.
Furthermore, while depression has a broader scope and can be applied in psychological, geographical, or even economic contexts (like economic depression), indentation is more specific, mainly found in discussions related to text formatting, geography, or describing physical characteristics.
One can experience depression after a significant life event or for no apparent reason, needing medical intervention or therapy. In contrast, indentation can be a purposeful action, like pressing a key on a keyboard to set a margin, or it can occur naturally, as seen in various surfaces or materials.
It's essential to distinguish between these terms, especially when discussing mental health. Using depression to describe a simple dip or recess in a surface minimizes the severity of the mental health condition. Likewise, referring to a paragraph's indentation as depression can lead to misunderstandings in context.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
State of feeling sad or a sunken place/part
A recess or notch in a surface
Context
Psychological, geographical, economic
Text formatting, geographical, physical characteristics
Usage
Describes a mood or a lowered area
Often relates to a purposeful or natural notch
Broadness
Has a broader scope and can be applied in various contexts
More specific to certain scenarios
Example
Experiencing sadness or an area lower than its surroundings
Pressing a key to set a margin or a natural notch
Compare with Definitions
Depression
A prolonged feeling of sadness and hopelessness.
She sought therapy to cope with her depression.
Indentation
The space left at the beginning of a paragraph.
Always use consistent indentation when coding.
Depression
A low pressure area in meteorology.
The weather report indicated a depression moving in from the west.
Indentation
A coastline's inward curve.
The bay was a significant indentation along the coastline.
Depression
The act of depressing.
Indentation
A position or angle at which something is slanted.
He noticed the indentation of the beam in the old house.
Depression
The condition of being depressed.
Indentation
The action of indenting or the state of being indented.
He made an indentation in the clay with his thumb.
Depression
An area that is sunk below its surroundings; a hollow.
Indentation
A recess or notch in a surface.
The vase had a slight indentation where it was chipped.
Depression
The condition of feeling sad or despondent.
Indentation
The act of indenting.
Depression
A mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness or inability to experience pleasure combined with other symptoms including poor concentration, indecisiveness, sleep problems, changes in appetite, and feelings of guilt, helplessness, and hopelessness. Also called clinical depression, major depressive disorder.
Indentation
The condition of being indented.
Depression
A reduction in physiological vigor or activity
A depression in respiration.
Indentation
The blank space between a margin and the beginning of an indented line.
Depression
A lowering in amount, degree, or position
Depression of stock prices.
Indentation
A notch or jagged cut in an edge.
Depression
A period of drastic economic decline, characterized by decreasing aggregate output, falling prices, and rising unemployment.
Indentation
A recess, as in a border or coastline.
Depression
A period of widespread poverty and high unemployment.
Indentation
The act of indenting or state of being indented.
Depression
Depression See Great Depression.
Indentation
A notch or recess, in the margin or border of anything.
The indentations of a leaf
Indentations of the coast
Depression
(Meteorology) A region of low barometric pressure.
Indentation
A recess or sharp depression in any surface.
Depression
The angular distance below the horizontal plane through the point of observation.
Indentation
(typography) The act of beginning a line or series of lines at a little distance within the flush line of the column or page, as in the common way of beginning the first line of a paragraph.
Depression
(Astronomy) The angular distance of a celestial body below the horizon.
Indentation
A measure of the distance from the flush line.
An indentation of one em
Depression
A state of mind producing serious, long-term lowering of enjoyment of life or inability to visualize a happy future.
I used to suffer from depression, but now I'm mostly content with my life.
Indentation
(law) A division unit of a piece of law distinguished by its indentation or by a dash.
Depression
A period of low morale or unhappiness (a period of experiencing the above-mentioned state of mind) which lasts longer than several weeks and may include ideation of self-inflicted injury or suicide.
Indentation
The act of indenting or state of being indented.
Depression
(geography) An area that is lower in topography than its surroundings.
Indentation
A notch or recess, in the margin or border of anything; as, the indentations of a leaf, of the coast, etc.
Depression
(meteorology) An area of lowered air pressure that generally brings moist weather, sometimes promoting hurricanes and tornadoes.
Indentation
A recess or sharp depression in any surface.
Depression
(economics) A period of major economic contraction.
Indentation
The act of beginning a line or series of lines at a little distance within the flush line of the column or page, as in the common way of beginning the first line of a paragraph.
Depression
Four consecutive quarters of negative, real GDP growth. See NBER.
The Great Depression was the worst financial event in US history.
Indentation
A concave cut into a surface or edge (as in a coastline)
Depression
The act of lowering or pressing something down.
Depression of the lever starts the machine.
Indentation
The formation of small pits in a surface as a consequence of corrosion
Depression
A lowering, in particular a reduction in a particular biological variable or the function of an organ, in contrast to elevation.
Indentation
The space left between the margin and the start of an indented line
Depression
The act of depressing.
Indentation
The act of cutting into an edge with toothlike notches or angular incisions
Depression
The state of being depressed; a sinking.
Depression
A falling in of the surface; a sinking below its true place; a cavity or hollow; as, roughness consists in little protuberances and depressions.
Depression
Humiliation; abasement, as of pride.
Depression
Dejection; despondency; lowness.
In a great depression of spirit.
Depression
Diminution, as of trade, etc.; inactivity; dullness.
Depression
The angular distance of a celestial object below the horizon.
Depression
The operation of reducing to a lower degree; - said of equations.
Depression
A mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity
Depression
A long-term economic state characterized by unemployment and low prices and low levels of trade and investment
Depression
A sunken or depressed geological formation
Depression
Sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy
Depression
A time period during the 1930s when there was a worldwide economic depression and mass unemployment
Depression
An air mass of lower pressure; often brings precipitation;
A low moved in over night bringing sleet and snow
Depression
A state of depression and anhedonia so severe as to require clinical intervention
Depression
A concavity in a surface produced by pressing;
He left the impression of his fingers in the soft mud
Depression
Angular distance below the horizon (especially of a celestial object)
Depression
Pushing down;
Depression of the space bar on the typewriter
Depression
A sunken place or hollow on a surface.
The depression in the ground filled with rainwater.
Depression
A period of economic downturn.
The Great Depression affected millions worldwide.
Depression
A decrease in force or activity.
There was a depression in sales after the holiday season.
Common Curiosities
What's the significance of indentation in writing?
Indentation can help differentiate paragraphs, making text more readable.
Is indentation just about text formatting?
No, while often used in that context, indentation can also refer to a physical notch or a geographical curve.
Is depression always related to sadness?
No, while depression can refer to a state of sadness, it can also describe a sunken place or an economic downturn.
Can depression be a physical characteristic?
Yes, depression can refer to a sunken place or hollow on a surface.
Can one "cure" an economic depression?
Economic depressions can be addressed with policies, but they may not be "cured" instantly.
Why is indentation important in coding?
Indentation in coding helps organize and structure the code, making it more readable.
Is indentation only a visual aspect in text?
Primarily, yes. Indentation in text visually separates sections or paragraphs.
Are depression and indentation interchangeable?
No, they refer to different concepts and are not interchangeable.
Can depression refer to weather?
Yes, in meteorology, a depression refers to a low-pressure area.
How can one identify if they have depression?
Symptoms can vary, but persistent sadness, lack of interest, and hopelessness are indicators. Professional advice should be sought.
Can landscapes have indentations?
Yes, landscapes can have indentations like notches or inward curves.
Which is more related to mental health, depression or indentation?
Depression is more related to mental health, referring to a state of prolonged sadness or hopelessness.
What tools might create an indentation?
Many tools, like hammers, chisels, or even thumbs, can create indentations on various materials.
What's the purpose of indentation in poetry?
In poetry, indentation can emphasize or give structure to stanzas or lines.
Can animals experience depression?
Yes, some animals can exhibit behaviors indicative of depression, especially under stressful conditions.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
