1
as in drop
the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude
the airplane began its gradual descent to the landing field
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Relevance
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2
as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
the family patriarch's heartbreaking descent into infirmity and senility
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3
as in degradation
a change to a lower state or level
the nation's rapid descent into anarchy after the revolution
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4
as in demise
a loss of status
for throwing the game, the ballplayer underwent a huge descent in the eyes of the fans
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5
as in invasion
a sudden attack on and entrance into hostile territory
the lightning descent of the invading army on that unsuspecting border town
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6
as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
the descent of the voracious locusts on the wheat fields
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7
as in ancestry
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended
a person of Finnish descent
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8
as in downhill
a downward slope
on bicycle tours the ascents always seem to outnumber the descents
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descent
Last week, the Italian reported via his popular X account that Barca had signed a Swedish teenage sensation of Moroccan descent in Copenhagen’s Roony Bardghji.
—
Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
To date, all items raised from the Titanic have been recovered from within a 15-square-mile debris field — a vast underwater scatter zone formed when the ship broke apart during its final descent.
—Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 6 July 2025
Notably, the protagonists of Rowan's work are of Asian descent.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
When canal broke ground in the heart of the Oneida homeland, many Oneida Christians turned to Eleazer Williams, an Episcopalian missionary of Mohawk descent.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for descent
Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
To date, all items raised from the Titanic have been recovered from within a 15-square-mile debris field — a vast underwater scatter zone formed when the ship broke apart during its final descent.
—Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 6 July 2025
Notably, the protagonists of Rowan's work are of Asian descent.
—Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
When canal broke ground in the heart of the Oneida homeland, many Oneida Christians turned to Eleazer Williams, an Episcopalian missionary of Mohawk descent.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for descent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descent
Noun
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Both phones use Samsung’s Enhanced Armor Aluminium frame and take advantage of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 to protect the display from drops and scratches.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 July 2025
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The drop was even starker among Republicans, with that change from 88 to 48 percent — nearly cut in half — in the space of a year.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Noun
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With deterioration continuing, a 2014 study recommended the entire span be replaced.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
8 July 2025
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Corrosion is one of the leading causes of conventional RC infrastructure deterioration, often requiring extensive repairs and maintenance.—
Carol Cain,
Freep.com,
3 July 2025
Noun
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In 2023, the U.S. Geological Survey reported that projected coral reef degradation in Florida could increase the coastal flood risk to more than 7,300 people at the cost of $823.6 million annually.—
Rafe Pomerance,
Sun Sentinel,
6 July 2025
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The administration cited the degradation of the current FBI complex as a reason for the move.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
1 July 2025
Noun
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Just months after Saint Archer’s demise, though, Japanese brewing behemoth Sapporo bought the county’s largest brewery, Stone.—
Peter Rowe,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 July 2025
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Nothing screams romance quite like lawmakers vigorously debating legislation or bills meeting their demise as deadlines loom.—
Brittany Carloni,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
Noun
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Doyle also has two other convictions for narcotics possession, and in 2010 he was charged with armed home invasion and aggravated domestic battery stemming from an incident in Skokie.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
9 July 2025
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The country has been at war since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
7 July 2025
Noun
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From 21 March on, the gang launched attacks against several areas in the communes of Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite and Marchand Dessalines.—
Jacqueline Charles
July 11,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
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In one attack in late January, Russian drones hit an apartment complex in an overnight attack, killing nine people and injuring 13.—
Joanna Kakissis,
NPR,
11 July 2025
Noun
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The results give key findings from over 265 health tests, identify over 365 dog breeds, and provide insights into genetics and ancestry.—
Molly Higgins,
Wired News,
8 July 2025
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But 20% of the man’s ancestry best matches older genomes from Mesopotamia, suggesting that the movement of people into Egypt at some point may have been fairly substantial, Girdland-Flink.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
2 July 2025
Noun
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Men’s downhill: Odermatt (605 points) leads countryman Franjo von Allmen by 83 points.—
Rachel Roberts,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Mar. 2025
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Namely, making a downhill defender have to turn on a dime and sprint uphill, backpedaling between wing and prayer.—
Sean Keeler,
The Denver Post,
3 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descent. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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