1
as in to fall
to lead or extend downward
the pathway descends to the river bank
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the order of the classroom descended into chaos when the teacher left the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to plunge
to go to a lower level especially abruptly
leaves slowly descended from the branches in the gentle autumn wind wait for the elevator to descend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descend
Carol is casually chatting with her manager and romantic partner, Helen (Miriam Shor), when the pathogen descends on everyone, creating a horrific scene of silent, seizing bodies.
—
Erin Qualey, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Regardless, this film also boasts a oner for the ages, as a raincoat mafia descends upon a rave and a pair of bloodthirsty lovers.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2025
But as tens of thousands of people descend on Belém for COP30 — the world’s biggest annual climate summit — a dearth of accommodation has led to a scramble for beds.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Literary types can descend into the 8,000-year-old lava cave in Iceland’s Snæfellsjökull glacier that inspired Jules Verne’s novel Journey to the Center of the Earth, while history buffs will marvel at the interactive recreation of the construction of the Titanic at the Belfast shipyard.
—Fran Golden, AFAR Media, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descend
Erin Qualey, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Regardless, this film also boasts a oner for the ages, as a raincoat mafia descends upon a rave and a pair of bloodthirsty lovers.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2025
But as tens of thousands of people descend on Belém for COP30 — the world’s biggest annual climate summit — a dearth of accommodation has led to a scramble for beds.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Literary types can descend into the 8,000-year-old lava cave in Iceland’s Snæfellsjökull glacier that inspired Jules Verne’s novel Journey to the Center of the Earth, while history buffs will marvel at the interactive recreation of the construction of the Titanic at the Belfast shipyard.
—Fran Golden, AFAR Media, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descend
Verb
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Two things happened on that blustery back-to-school morning that fell exactly a month after my eleventh birthday.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
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Midway through the third quarter, true freshman linebacker Mason Posa, buried on the depth chart just weeks ago, ripped the ball loose at Washington’s 7-yard line and fell on it himself.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Residents should also remain alert to rapidly changing forecasts, as conditions may deteriorate quickly.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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Grace appears dazed when others pick up on her ache, and takes a perverse pleasure in Jackson’s struggle to deal with her deteriorating mental health.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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These two conflicts heat up very quickly, with Dale plunging his elbow into the soup and then getting in Ron’s face, telling him to kiss it.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
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The buttery soft, stretchy nylon is accented with a plunging V-neckline and pretty lace trim.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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After having dismounted, the person crossed the street and moved into a wooded area.—
Rebecca Shabad,
NBC news,
12 Sep. 2025
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This enables wide distribution across the front lines, especially in areas where soldiers are primarily dismounted.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That’s especially true of the Princeton museum, a jangling grid of gray concrete boxes set into the sloping campus.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
3 Nov. 2025
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Out back, the car’s roofline sloped towards the tail at a shallower angle than ever, almost giving the big car a fastback look.—
Will Sabel Courtney,
Robb Report,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That quest comes to a screeching halt due to the 2008 recession, as Jackie scrambles to adjust to a new lifestyle while husband David struggles to keep his timeshare empire from crumbling.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Nov. 2025
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Instead, Chenoweth finds the humanity inside the caricature, capturing the contradictions that made Jackie a pop-culture fascination — her drive for success, her humor, and yes, even her delusion to keep believing in a fantasy when the walls around her are literally crumbling.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The number of cancellations doubled to 148 Tuesday, while the number of delays dipped somewhat to 2,133, the website reported.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
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Olaplex sales dipped in the third quarter, but surpassed Wall Street sales forecasts.—
Kathryn Hopkins,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Upon arrival at Star Flat, travelers disembark the train wearing red light necklaces (to ensure no one gets lost), which provide light without compromising night vision.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Nov. 2025
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Passengers were on The Hop when the wires were hit and were able to safely disembark.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descend. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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