1
as in to fall
to lead or extend downward
the pathway descends to the river bank
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of descend
However, due to severe weather, some hikers didn't even make it to the peak until 5 p.m., and some expeditions were stuck in the mountains with no means of descending as a blizzard hit the mountain.
—
Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Dense smoke descended, so fortunately, tourists stayed away and most residents left.
—Calmatters, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025
Within a few years, Anglo-American criticism of kingly tyranny in France would be validated: That country descended into a violent revolution that resulted in decades of warfare and political violence, including the execution of the entire royal family.
—Carla Gardina Pestana, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2025
Investigators released a preliminary report on the crash on Thursday, saying the jet had descended at a high rate of speed, triggering a safety alarm to go off in the cockpit just 2.6 seconds before landing.
—Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descend
Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Dense smoke descended, so fortunately, tourists stayed away and most residents left.
—Calmatters, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025
Within a few years, Anglo-American criticism of kingly tyranny in France would be validated: That country descended into a violent revolution that resulted in decades of warfare and political violence, including the execution of the entire royal family.
—Carla Gardina Pestana, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2025
Investigators released a preliminary report on the crash on Thursday, saying the jet had descended at a high rate of speed, triggering a safety alarm to go off in the cockpit just 2.6 seconds before landing.
—Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descend
Verb
-
However, that fight fell apart in early March, when a hand injury forced Whyte from the card.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Rogers, who also serves as president of the nonprofit Reading League of Texas, said momentum is growing among school and community leaders around the issue of literacy, but there still isn’t broad city-wide awareness about how far behind Fort Worth has fallen, or why that’s such a problem.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Based on the aforementioned trends, employment outcomes haven’t gotten better over the past decade and are likely to deteriorate further.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Additionally, inspectors said, grout had deteriorated between floor tiles at the cook’s line.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Over half of the uber-wealthy on Bloomberg’s index saw their fortunes plunge an average of 3.3 percent, with American billionaires really taking it on the chin.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Her investigation plunges her into the heart of a life-changing event, providing her with a front-row seat to the chaos and intrigue of a bloody political firestorm.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Fixed an issue where Yasuke could block with his teppo after being dismounted instead of his melee weapon.—
Oliver Brandt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Contestants are required to ride an equestrian pattern, dismount and complete a private interview with the judges.—
Gqlshare,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
From $50,000 per night Photo : Courtesy of Marina Bay Sands Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Images of Marina Bay Sands’s sloping towers are splashed across every Singapore advert around the globe.—
Katie Lockhart,
Robb Report,
27 Mar. 2025
-
In Slovakia, the channel slopes downward towards the mansion.—
Sonja Anderson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
When workers suspect the game is rigged in favor of the boss's nephew or the CEO's daughter, the belief that hard work leads to recognition—the backbone of productive workplaces—begins to crumble.—
Jonathan H. Westover,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
-
The Wild, who are crumbling at the seams, fell to 1-4-2 in their past seven thanks to an 0-1-2 road trip.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Blue Sneakers For those who are slightly less daring, dip your toe into the coloured trainer trend with a baby-blue pair.—
Melisa Vargas,
Vogue,
10 Apr. 2025
-
With the cuts and losses at the FDA, there is growing fear that the funding level could dip below the historical threshold.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
When the ship is ready to depart, the pilot once again boards and performs the process in reverse, usually disembarking onto the pilot boat in the same way.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Parking at any Metrorail garage or surface lot is $4.50 for the day and remains open into the following day given the long hours of Ultra. Cost and where to disembark: Metrorail is $2.25 for a one-way trip or $5.65 for a one-day pass to the Government Center station.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descend. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share