1
as in speaking
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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2
as in chanting
to produce musical sounds with the voice
the world-famous soprano descanted above the melody line
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descanting
Verb
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While speaking on a panel at the opening of the movie, which details the life and career of actor John Candy, who died at 43 in 1994, Reynolds revealed that his 2-year-old son, Olin, played a key part in convincing Bill Murray, 74, to have a role in the documentary.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025 -
In December, a Lonoke County judge issued a gag order that banned lawyers, Spencer’s family and others connected to the case from speaking publicly about it, saying widespread media coverage could affect the jury pool.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Fans have already been chanting Lee’s name at recent shows, and the potential for a mixed tag match pairing Punk and AJ against Rollins and Lynch provides WWE with a premium attraction that could anchor major events like the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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The highlights of a stay here include the pre-dawn ritual of chanting from a wat (a Buddhist temple or monastery) or, in the evenings, browsing the high-energy night market.—
Jack Tydeman,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Faculty across the state rebuked it as an infringement on academic freedom and warned of a mass chilling effect on free speech and lecturing on divisive topics.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
28 Aug. 2025
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Leaders listen instead of lecturing.—
W. Jeff Williams,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Most of the clientele were families of Asian tourists, talking neither to us nor among themselves.—
Joe Joyce,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Then a production assistant — a famously low-paying, entry-level job on film and TV sets — McGuirk happened to be near the camera operator, who was talking on the phone, when a colleague radioed to ask him to attend a rehearsal.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Descanting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descanting. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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