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

Relevance

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

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

Possible successors Kim Jong-Un has not publicly designated a successor, and assessments of North Korea’s future leadership remain largely speculative.

— Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Aug. 2026
This formula proved to be a hit and can be seen in all of the supercar’s successors, including the aforementioned F40, the F50, the Enzo, the LaFerrari, and, most recently, the F80.

— Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 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

But one of Monty and Rose's offspring, a male named Imani, went on nesting at Montrose Beach and was paired with a female named Sea Rocket.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
In animals that have litters, such as rodents, dogs, cats, pigs and kangaroos, a dead fetus will be reabsorbed by the mother’s body to protect the rest of her offspring.

— Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 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

Two rising progeny of big names sharing space on a call sheet would be surreal enough, but the series that small screen impresario Ryan Murphy adapted from the novel by Bret Easton Ellis goes one step further.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 30 July 2026
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

Definition of progeny

Noun

But the 27-year-old Dubai real estate scion is eager to talk about his real estate firm AHS Properties’ latest acquisition.

— Giacomo Tognini, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of scion

Noun

The dogs played such a significant role in the King and Camilla’s lives that the latter had a sketch of her dogs embroidered on her coronation dress along with the names of her children and grandchildren.

— Audrey Schmidt, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
One Houthi attack on Thursday injured 11 civilians, including a 4-year-old child, according to the Saudi military.

— Fatma Khaled, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of child

Browse Nearby Words

descend

descendant

descendants

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Descendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descendant. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of descendant

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on descendant

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

pedagogical

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes