1
as in to fall
to lead or extend downward
the pathway descends to the river bank
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the order of the classroom descended into chaos when the teacher left the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to plunge
to go to a lower level especially abruptly
leaves slowly descended from the branches in the gentle autumn wind wait for the elevator to descend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to dismount
to come down from something (as a vehicle)
the driver descended from the truck's cab, dreading to see what he had hit
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descend
As the stars descend upon Los Angeles for the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, Hollywood’s most prominent names will once again come face-to-face with the movie business’ shifting landscape.
—
Chris Dobstaff, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
But as Miky Lee — the godmother of Korean cinema — approached the microphone, the lights dimmed and the microphone descended into the stage.
—Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025
Up next, Blue Ghost will prepare to descend for touch down on the moon in process targeted to conclude Sunday, March 2 at 3:45 a.m. EST.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
Well, there are basic elevator sounds — doors and motors ascending and descending.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descend
Chris Dobstaff, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
But as Miky Lee — the godmother of Korean cinema — approached the microphone, the lights dimmed and the microphone descended into the stage.
—Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025
Up next, Blue Ghost will prepare to descend for touch down on the moon in process targeted to conclude Sunday, March 2 at 3:45 a.m. EST.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
Well, there are basic elevator sounds — doors and motors ascending and descending.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descend
Verb
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By electing Benitez, the cardinals have unwittingly appointed a leader who falls outside traditional binaries, thus bringing a new perspective into the Vatican.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
27 Feb. 2025
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The Shrek franchise launched with the Oscar-winning 2001 feature that centered on an ogre named Shrek, who falls for Fiona, the princess of Far Far Away who has been cursed, trapped in the body of an ogre.—
Aaron Couch,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Read: The chaos in higher ed is only getting started The situation could deteriorate if current doctoral students start jumping ship.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2025
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So organs deteriorate while doctor after doctor rejects them.—
Brian M. Rosenthal,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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For the premiere of the Netflix comedy series on Feb. 13, Eram styled Hudson in a shimmering gold Roberto Cavalli couture gown with a flowing train and plunging neckline.—
Julia Teti,
WWD,
27 Feb. 2025
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In the gripping series, Mullen faces a complex but all-too-realistic cyberattack that plunges the world into chaos.—
Ally Neagen,
Glamour,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Considered one of the best bull riders of all time, Lane Frost was tragically killed in 1989 at the age of 25 after dismounting a bull at Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes,
11 Dec. 2024
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The initial assaults over the weekend involved dismounted infantry walking in neat lines across snowy fields without much apparent support from artillery or aircraft.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The sloping roofs and spacious interiors show that these homes are built to maximise natural light and ventilation.—
Kissa Castaneda,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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The sloping roof prevents water from building up and seeping inside during storms.—
Shea Simmons,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Today, despite its crumbling condition, the concrete trough still attracts young Bosnian athletes chasing Olympic dreams.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
1 Mar. 2025
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But the vaccine's power to beat back measles outbreaks starts to crumble when vaccination rates drop low enough.—
Alyson Hurt,
NPR,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Then, on Wednesday, enjoy a 5-piece order of French toast sticks to dip in delicious, sugary breakfast syrup for free, also with a purchase of $1 or more.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
7 Mar. 2025
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What To Know The newest polling from Gallup found support for Israel among American adults dropped to 46 percent in 2025, dipping below 50 percent for the first time during the time Gallup has tracked this topic—which appears to be since 2001.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Striking miners were astonished to discover soldiers from the U.S. Army disembarking from train cars, their bayonets glittering in the frosty air.—
Michael Luo,
The New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2025
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The captains of these vessels were likely aware that employing North Koreans violated international law, the report noted, as the workers were never allowed to disembark and were instead transferred between ships at sea to avoid detection.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descend. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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