Sending composition around nowadays is depressing (9)
I believe the answer is:
saddening
'is depressing' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'sending composition around nowadays' is the wordplay.
'composition' is an anagram indicator (letters arranged or composed in a different order).
'around' is an insertion indicator.
'nowadays' becomes 'AD' (AD, Anno Domini, as opposed to BC, Before Christ).
'sending' is an anagram of 'sdening'.
'sdening' enclosing 'ad' is 'SADDENING'.
(Other definitions for saddening that I've seen before include "Making one sorrowful" , "Tragic" .)