1
as in fell
to lead or extend downward
the pathway descends to the river bank
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deteriorated
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 plunged
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
as in dismounted
to come down from something (as a vehicle)
the driver descended from the truck's cab, dreading to see what he had hit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descended
Buxton had just descended some 130 feet from a hovering helicopter to help her.
—
Conor Wight, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
When Orion descended using a method of skipping in and out of the atmosphere to reduce speed, NASA thinks that caused the unexpected heat shield damage.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
Travelers previously descended into the canyon along steep switchback roads prone to rockfalls or took long detours around the gorge, routes that added more than an hour to travel time.
—Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026
Travelers quickly descended on Reddit to applaud or blast the change.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Before a swarm of Coral Springs officers descended on the home of Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen last week, discovering her death, allegedly at the hands of her husband, authorities had been called five times to her home, a Miami Herald inquiry revealed.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
The avalanche descended approximately 400 vertical feet down a face of Perry’s Peak, creating a debris field about 100 feet wide, the report said.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
As word spread through the federal bureaucracy Monday that Transportation Security Administration workers were getting some back pay, a collective gloom descended on a Coast Guard administrative office, a Coast Guard worker, who asked not to be identified told NBC News.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026
So when, in December 2025, thousands of ICE agents descended upon the Twin Cities, initiating two months of unrest and violence, restaurants were not at the forefront of the headlines, but acutely absorbing its impact.
—David Farley, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
Conor Wight, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
When Orion descended using a method of skipping in and out of the atmosphere to reduce speed, NASA thinks that caused the unexpected heat shield damage.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
Travelers previously descended into the canyon along steep switchback roads prone to rockfalls or took long detours around the gorge, routes that added more than an hour to travel time.
—Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026
Travelers quickly descended on Reddit to applaud or blast the change.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Before a swarm of Coral Springs officers descended on the home of Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen last week, discovering her death, allegedly at the hands of her husband, authorities had been called five times to her home, a Miami Herald inquiry revealed.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
The avalanche descended approximately 400 vertical feet down a face of Perry’s Peak, creating a debris field about 100 feet wide, the report said.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
As word spread through the federal bureaucracy Monday that Transportation Security Administration workers were getting some back pay, a collective gloom descended on a Coast Guard administrative office, a Coast Guard worker, who asked not to be identified told NBC News.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026
So when, in December 2025, thousands of ICE agents descended upon the Twin Cities, initiating two months of unrest and violence, restaurants were not at the forefront of the headlines, but acutely absorbing its impact.
—David Farley, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descended
Verb
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Jeff Shell, now felled from his presidency of Paramount, is living proof.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Floorboards were milled from walnut trees felled at a construction site in North Carolina.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The lawsuit says the hospital did not tell his family that Hylton’s condition had deteriorated and that he had been transferred to the ICU without a doctor on-site.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
-
All the while, his injuries mounted and personal life deteriorated.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Iraq’s exports plunged by about 80% in March compared with last year’s average daily volumes, while Saudi Arabia has rerouted crude through its east-west pipeline to the Red Sea, now running near capacity at roughly 7 million barrels a day.—
Gerry Doyle,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
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Revenue plunged during the pandemic and has yet to fully recover to prepandemic levels, and Chicago can’t afford to endanger any revenue source given its precarious financial position.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Stopping, the man dismounted and shot that big bear square in the chest.—
Scott Haugen,
Outdoor Life,
4 Feb. 2026
-
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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If the dinosaurs and woolly mammoths that once roamed the Earth had since crumbled into dust, then what hope was there for humanity?—
Kathryn Hughes,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Within a short time of the fire, the walls were left burnt and crumbled.—
CBS Chicago Team,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Nuggets have dipped into the bottom 10 in points allowed per possession.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Give your furniture a quick wash down with a microfiber cloth dipped in the soapy water followed by a clean water rinse.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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All guests and non-essential crew disembarked with their luggage and personal belongings, according to Blue Lagoon Cruises.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Guests and non-essential crew disembarked the vessel via a ferry, the cruise company added.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Drought conditions worsened significantly in Nebraska last month, contributing to the state's largest wildfire on record.—
Dan Peck,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
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People who have been stable for years are suddenly re-exposed to risk, not because their disease worsened, but because coverage did.—
John Fomeche,
STAT,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Descended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descended. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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