descendant 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈsen-dənt How to pronounce descendant (audio)
variants also descendent
Definition of descendantnext
as in bowing
bending downward or forward the descendant branches of a weeping willow

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

descendant

2 of 2

noun

variants also descendent
as in successor

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of descendant
Adjective
Don Jose, a perfect example that for Latinos rooted in ancestral Mesoamerican and Afro-descendant mutual aid customs, helping is not a choice. — Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026 The descendant, or seventh house of intimacy, is the opposite sign of the ascendant, which describes our ideal mate. — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026
Noun
Researching his story, the museum discovered that Morais has a descendant who currently works as a prison chaplain in Pennsylvania. — Stephen Silver, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2026 In 2011, the brand was resurrected by seventh-generation master distiller Stephen Beam, a descendant of both the Dant and Beam families—yes, that Beam family. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for descendant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descendant
  1. nodding
  2. successor
  3. weeping
  4. offspring
  5. descending
  6. progeny
  7. scion
  8. child
Adjective
  • James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.
    — Aylin Woodward, WSJ, 21 Dec. 2021
Definition of nodding
Noun
  • The release also said that Graves will continue in her role until a successor has been selected.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
  • Struijk’s compatriot was seen as a natural successor to regular partner Dunk as captain.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of successor
Adjective
  • And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
    — David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    — Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping
Noun
  • His predecessor, Gino, fathered 14 offspring across multiple states over his lifetime, according to Disney.
    — Eve Chen, USA Today, 30 July 2026
  • And to have another female voice that isn’t my offspring doing it would’ve been pointless.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026
Definition of offspring
Adjective
  • The three-part framework is, at its core, a descending order of difficulty and an ascending order of effectiveness.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • For the most part, most of them wore gowns that could fit through the revolving door at the Hotel Du Cap onto the grand descending stairway, read few came close to rivaling Skye Hankey’s boa yellow dress last year which provided an elegant challenge for exits and entrances.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 22 May 2026
Definition of descending
Noun
  • Only in these United States can the progeny of people once portrayed as parasites and invaders side with those making the same argument about the latest batch of newcomers.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • That that fondness would define the very identity of her progeny?
    — Barry Levitt, Time, 19 June 2026
Definition of progeny
Noun
  • Philippe Stern, the 25-year-old scion of the family business—his paternal grandfather, Charles Stern, and his great-uncle, Jean Stern, bought Patek Philippe in 1932—was just a few years older than Edelman.
    — Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 27 July 2026
  • Tech scion David Ellison for months projected confidence that his blockbuster Hollywood merger was on a glide path to completion.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026
Definition of scion
Noun
  • Anxiety about data centers, social platforms, children and litigation now sits beside concerns about model safety.
    — Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Those allegations had resulted in her losing custody of her children long before the shooting.
    — Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of child

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Cite this Entry

“Descendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descendant. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of descendant for Spanish Speakers

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