1
as in to speak
to give a formal often extended talk on a subject
an English professor who loves to descant on his beloved Shakespeare
Synonyms & Similar Words
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variants
also discant
1
as in chorus
Related Words
2
as in observation
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of descant
Jesse Green, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023
For seven decades, Katz has been providing a visual descant to the work of the New York School of poets, many of whom were his friends.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2022
The Hynde storyline, which includes her messing around with songs on an acoustic guitar, runs as a kind of descant against the personal and professional noise of the Pistols.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022
Then comes a longer descant of mixed-up work, including bad versions of pop tunes and ambitious attempts at pop epics.
—Adam Gopni, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2021
Noun
Bart, too idiosyncratic merely to copy the idiosyncrasies of the movie’s Christopher Lloyd, instead adds a descant of commentary atop them, sometimes seeming to extemporize a different show entirely.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023
For seven decades, Katz has been providing a visual descant to the work of the New York School of poets, many of whom were his friends.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2022
The Hynde storyline, which includes her messing around with songs on an acoustic guitar, runs as a kind of descant against the personal and professional noise of the Pistols.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022
Then comes a longer descant of mixed-up work, including bad versions of pop tunes and ambitious attempts at pop epics.
—Adam Gopni, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descant
Verb
-
Navarro's goal with the podcast is to both interview interesting subjects and break down news items without the typical restrictions of cable or broadcast TV, where a cohost or panelist may only get a fraction of a 7 minute segment to speak.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
Jim Auster, a golfer who lives in the neighborhood nearby, spoke against the housing overlay changes as a representative of Save Newport Beach Golf Course, the same group that rallied against the proposal for the wave pool on an adjacent portion of the golf course.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Mostly left off the list were Washington’s supporters — who loudly screamed and chanted in the gallery.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
Britain's prime minister warned Saturday that tougher action was needed against people chanting certain phrases at pro-Palestinian protests, as concerns grew over the safety of British Jews after the stabbings of two Jewish men in London.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
But a growing chorus of theologians, philosophers and bioethicists are calling for more conversations surrounding these procedures and treatments.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
-
In contrast, her paced, crackling chorus serves as a recognition and reckoning.—
Caitlin Wolper Phillips,
Pitchfork,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Each new burst of observation, each refined model, peels back another layer, showing us just how dynamic and surprising the life of a star can be.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
3 May 2026
-
Habermas wasn’t alone in making such observations.—
Adam Kirsch,
The Atlantic,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
For years, states such as New York and California have been run by politicians who seem to believe prosperity is permanent — an endless resource to be taxed a little more, regulated a little harder and lectured a little longer.—
Larry Clifton,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Steve Kerr's new New Yorker interview sounds a lot less like a man eager to lecture Americans and a lot more like a man trying to clean up a mess he's spent years making.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The song, which Diamond wrote with Alan and Marilyn Bergman, laments the cooling of a romance in language as direct as the music is florid; the recording, as the story goes, came in response to a homemade edit by a radio programmer eager to hear the two stars sing together.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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First, there was the stealth appearance of a B-2 Spirit bomber, which glided like a quiet bird in flight as the national anthem, sung by 10-year-old Alexandria Arango, was winding down.—
Jacqui Gifford,
Travel + Leisure,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Latin polyphony and motets are being sung at the Offertory and during the distribution of Holy Communion.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 June 2025
-
The service and concert will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, at the church, 815 S. Washington St. Castle Singers are vocalists who perform a variety of chamber repertoire, varying from Renaissance madrigals and motets to contemporary pop and vocal jazz.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The remarks also follow a report that Watson leads the race for the starting job.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
2 May 2026
-
His remarks have been edited for length and clarity.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Descant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descant. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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