DESCENDENT Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

descendant 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈsen-dənt

variants also descendent

Definition of descendant

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

After a complicated journey, the paintings were sold to the museum by a Stroganoff family descendant. — ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026 Dewey, a descendant of the family, owned the three portraits of Anna, Roderick, and Sophia, while another relative owned then later sold the portraits of the sons. — Kimberly Phillips, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for descendant

Recent Examples of Synonyms for descendant

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

Boxer’s early decision gave prospective successors nearly two years to organize and voters the opportunity to choose among them.

— Nancy Forster-Holt, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
Read More The iPhone 16E is the spiritual successor to the iPhone SE, bringing flagship-level performance for less than the standard 16.

— Cameron Faulkner, The Verge, 6 Oct. 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

Shunned by locals, who believe she is cursed, Eleni turns to ancient rituals to resurrect her dead offspring but instead summons malevolent folkloric creatures known as the Kalikantzari.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026
Researchers have hypothesized numerous ways that prenatal exercise may affect offspring.

— Diego Hernandez-Saavedra, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 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

Otherwise, genetic defects might start to crop up among the progeny and threaten their survivability.

— Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Others criticized them for often being the progeny of Asian mothers and white fathers, as though this were somehow their fault.

— E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of progeny

Noun

And the 43-year-old tech scion will be constrained by some of the terms that were imposed in the consent decree negotiated with Bonta and other attorneys general.

— Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
It was founded in 1978 by Steven Loui, a talented engineer and scion of a powerful Hawaiian shipping family.

— William Turton, ProPublica, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of scion

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Style

“Descendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descendant. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of descendant

adjective

noun

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