as in bowing
bending downward or forward
with descending heads the mourners made their way to the burial site
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in falling
to lead or extend downward
the pathway descends to the river bank
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2
as in deteriorating
to become worse or of less value
the order of the classroom descended into chaos when the teacher left the room
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3
as in plunging
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
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4
as in dismounting
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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of descending
Tim Lammers, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Another duty involved descending for a dangerous 90 seconds inside of a Canadian nuclear reactor that had melted down.
—Jonathan Alter, TIME, 29 Dec. 2024
From this point on, his journey becomes dreamlike, soon descending into a waking nightmare.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
The 3-mile out and back hike is moderate, climbing 300 feet over a ridge before descending into a desert canyon, which directs water into an oasis that supports surprisingly lush flora, including the eponymous palm trees.
—Graham Averill, Outside Online, 27 Dec. 2024
The morning of the road race on September 26 brought rain, conditions that made descending far more treacherous.
—Jacob Whitehead, The Athletic, 20 Dec. 2024
Large numbers of new people coming into the home and descending on piles of food and Christmas decorations easily trigger anxious dogs − and worst-case scenario, someone could get bit or your dog could eat something dangerous.
—Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
The resort’s unique design starts on the 11th floor, offering panoramic ocean views, with accommodations and amenities descending gradually to the beach level, where restaurants, a pool area, and the winding pier awaits.
—Jennifer Lee, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Blinken met Friday with Turkey's foreign minister following discussions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, aiming to bring Turkey into a broader consensus to prevent Syria from descending further into chaos.
—Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 highest-grossing films in descending at the worldwide box office in 2024.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Another duty involved descending for a dangerous 90 seconds inside of a Canadian nuclear reactor that had melted down.
—Jonathan Alter, TIME, 29 Dec. 2024
From this point on, his journey becomes dreamlike, soon descending into a waking nightmare.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
The 3-mile out and back hike is moderate, climbing 300 feet over a ridge before descending into a desert canyon, which directs water into an oasis that supports surprisingly lush flora, including the eponymous palm trees.
—Graham Averill, Outside Online, 27 Dec. 2024
The morning of the road race on September 26 brought rain, conditions that made descending far more treacherous.
—Jacob Whitehead, The Athletic, 20 Dec. 2024
Large numbers of new people coming into the home and descending on piles of food and Christmas decorations easily trigger anxious dogs − and worst-case scenario, someone could get bit or your dog could eat something dangerous.
—Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
The resort’s unique design starts on the 11th floor, offering panoramic ocean views, with accommodations and amenities descending gradually to the beach level, where restaurants, a pool area, and the winding pier awaits.
—Jennifer Lee, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Blinken met Friday with Turkey's foreign minister following discussions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, aiming to bring Turkey into a broader consensus to prevent Syria from descending further into chaos.
—Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descending
Verb
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Clearly, this only constitutes a small blip as things stand and hardly a sign everything is falling apart.Simon Johnson, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
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The Sacramento Kings have made a major organizational move after their fourth straight loss falling them to a 13-18 record.Evan Sidery, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Her body is deteriorating in front of us, and yet my daughter and her vet say, if (the dog) looks happy, leave her be.Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2024
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With the relationship between the two companies deteriorating, Qualcomm may have to consider using another architecture before its ALA expires in 2033.Jim McGregor, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Hwang Dong-hyuk’s Netflix sensation returned on December 26 after more than three years, plunging Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) back into the world of deadly children’s games played by desperate adults competing for money.Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 27 Dec. 2024
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The foxes then take a great leap into the air and dive nose-first, often plunging so deep into the whiteness that only their tail and hind legs stick out.Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This stylish planter keeps plants well-watered and is virtually indestructible, designed to resist cracking and crumbling even in freezing temperatures.Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Jan. 2025
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Since gaining public recognition in 2013, a spate of crumbling buildings in Ireland has been known as the mica crisis or scandal.The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The composer also added synths to his orchestral score, as well as bowed metal, where a violin bow is rubbed against metal instruments like a cowbell or a Vibraphone, for when Roz has a particularly intense feeling.Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
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Jeremy Strong forwent a classic suit and tie in favor of a bowed necktie, giving his tailored look the perfect dash of whimsy.Christian Allaire, Vogue, 17 June 2024
Verb
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Highly flammable tamarisk shrubs have taken root in thick stands near streams in the western US, and eucalyptus — one of the primary invasive trees blamed for worsening Chile’s recent wildfires as well as fires in Portugal — increases wildfire risk in California.Kylie Mohr, Vox, 8 Jan. 2025
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The conflict is delaying training for thousands of medical students, likely leading to a worsening health care crisis for Sudan for years to come.Maria Isabel Barros Guinle, NPR, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Anyone who was wrongly dipping into the OT kitty for themselves or others has to be found and exiled from the high command, if not fired outright.New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 24 Dec. 2024
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Temperatures are dipping again in Alaska over the next six to 10 days, with far northern reaches of the state expecting below-average temperatures and near-normal temperatures forecast for much of the rest of the Last Frontier, according to a forecast from the NWS Climate Prediction Center.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Thesaurus Entries Near descending
Cite this Entry
“Descending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descending. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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