descend

1 to lead or extend downward the pathway descends to the river bank Synonyms decline, dip, drop, fall, plunge, sink Related Words angle, cant, cock, heel, incline, lean, list, recline, slant, slope, tilt, tip Near Antonyms even, flatten, level, plane, smooth, straighten Antonyms arise, ascend, climb, mount, rise, uprise, upsweep, upturn

2 to become worse or of less value the family's economic fortunes descended to the point where they were finally homeless Synonyms atrophy, crumble, decay, decline, degenerate, deteriorate, devolve, ebb, regress, retrograde, rot, sink, worsenRelated Words abate, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, recede, wane; break down, corrupt, decompose, degrade, dilapidate, disintegrate, molder, putrefy; sour, spoil; lessen, lower, reduce; debilitate, undermine; droop, fail, fall, flag, lag, languish, run down, sag, slip, waste (away), weaken, wiltNear Antonyms better, upgrade; enhance, enrich, fortify, heighten, intensify, strengthen; advance, develop, march, proceed, progressAntonyms ameliorate, improve, meliorate

3 to go to a lower level especially abruptly leaves slowly descended from the branches in the gentle autumn wind Synonyms crash, crater, decline, drop, dip, dive, fall, lower, nose-dive, plummet, plunge, sink, skid, tumbleRelated Words abate, decrease, de-escalate, die (down), diminish, droop, dwindle, ebb, lessen, let up, moderate, subside, taper off, wane; recede, retreatNear Antonyms accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon (also bourgeon), enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mushroom, pick up, snowball, swell, waxAntonyms arise, ascend, lift, mount, rise, soar, spike, up

4 to come down from something (as a vehicle) the driver descended from the truck's cab, dreading to see what he had hit Synonyms alight, disembark, dismount, get down, lightRelated Words deplane, detrainNear Antonyms board, climb (aboard), get in, mount; enplane (also emplane), entrainAntonyms embark