Entry Word: descent

Function: noun

Meaning: 1 the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude <the airplane began its gradual descent to the landing field>

Synonyms dip, dive, down, drop, fall, nosedive, plunge

Related Words comedown, downfall, downgrade; sinking

Near Antonyms advance, headway, progress, progression; betterment, improvement

Antonyms ascent, climb, rise, upswing, upturn

2 a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body <the family patriarchʼs heartbreaking descent into infirmity and senility> — see decline 1
3 a change to a lower state or level <the nationʼs rapid descent into anarchy after the revolution> — see decline 2
4 a loss of status <for throwing the game, the ball player underwent a huge descent in the eyes of the fans> — see comedown
5 a sudden attack on and entrance into hostile territory <the lightning descent of the invading army on that unsuspecting border town> — see raid 1
6 the act or action of setting upon with force or violence <the descent of the locusts on the wheat fields> — see attack 1
7 the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended <a person of Finnish descent> — see ancestry