as in bowing
bending downward or forward
with descending heads the mourners made their way to the burial site
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in falling
to lead or extend downward
the pathway descends to the river bank
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deteriorating
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 plunging
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 dismounting
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
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 descending
Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 29 Sep. 2025
While the enemies and level design, as well as the progression of the descending route is a clear inversion and iteration of the original, the second half of the game feels downright experimental.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
On September 25, Red Bull uploaded a clip to Instagram of Bargiel descending the peak on his skis.
—Outside, 26 Sep. 2025
In Will There Ever Be Another You, the main character struggles with an illness similar to long COVID, descending into a state of debility and psychosis as readers experience the chaos of her unraveling life.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 26 Sep. 2025
After finishing a game, Peyton had a routine of discreetly entering a side door into the eatery and descending into the basement wine cellar via a private elevator.
—Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 25 Sep. 2025
No, that’s not a colony of beautiful space aliens from Planet Claire descending upon the nearest amphitheater to entertain us.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Here, in the middle of the descending theater floor and surrounded by an intimate circle of seated spectators, Jelinek manipulated the high, rounded pitches of a modular synthesizer to resemble the whistle of a dropping bomb.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
Far from descending into deepening partisan divisions, Taiwan may be moving toward a new political equilibrium.
—Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
Freight rate collapse continues All the carriers’ operational shifts come as freight rates keep descending.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 29 Sep. 2025
While the enemies and level design, as well as the progression of the descending route is a clear inversion and iteration of the original, the second half of the game feels downright experimental.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
On September 25, Red Bull uploaded a clip to Instagram of Bargiel descending the peak on his skis.
—Outside, 26 Sep. 2025
In Will There Ever Be Another You, the main character struggles with an illness similar to long COVID, descending into a state of debility and psychosis as readers experience the chaos of her unraveling life.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 26 Sep. 2025
After finishing a game, Peyton had a routine of discreetly entering a side door into the eatery and descending into the basement wine cellar via a private elevator.
—Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 25 Sep. 2025
No, that’s not a colony of beautiful space aliens from Planet Claire descending upon the nearest amphitheater to entertain us.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Here, in the middle of the descending theater floor and surrounded by an intimate circle of seated spectators, Jelinek manipulated the high, rounded pitches of a modular synthesizer to resemble the whistle of a dropping bomb.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
Far from descending into deepening partisan divisions, Taiwan may be moving toward a new political equilibrium.
—Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descending
Verb
-
Margins for row-crop producers have thinned amid falling prices and high fertilizer costs.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
-
For millions of low-wage workers, these state-level adjustments mean a modest but tangible boost in take-home pay—often the difference between meeting basic needs and falling short.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Mann’s Heat starred Al Pacino as a hardened Los Angeles cop named Vincent Hanna who, ignoring his deteriorating personal life, is obsessed with tracking down career criminal Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), who wants to pull off one last heist before retiring.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Many remain acutely aware of how their abilities are deteriorating.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey report for August, which was released on Tuesday, showed that construction job openings were nearly halved, plunging by 115,000 roles — the second-largest drop on record.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Madonna opted for a black satin look with a plunging neckline that showed off a hint of cleavage, while Lourdes also went for a plunging scoop neck dress that showed off her tattoos.—
Starr Bowenbank,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The new cleat should be particularly appealing to racers – who need to snap back in as quickly as possible after dismounting – and to riders who are intimidated by the learning curve involved in using clipless pedals for the first time.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
28 Aug. 2025
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
Verb
-
However, beginning in mid-2023, when PSX finally stopped moving lower and began to rally, those same averages flipped from sloping down to sloping up.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Tucked away on a sloping hillside parcel spanning almost a third of an acre, the flat-roof abode offers four bedrooms and three baths across roughly 2,500 square feet on two levels.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The recent protests were triggered by the deaths of several pregnant women following routine C-sections in the coastal city of Agadir, spotlighting the crumbling healthcare system.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
-
With gloomy-yet-gorgeous accordion melodies driven against acoustic guitars and a tololoche, the song showcases the vulnerability of a crumbling relationship through an emotional dialogue between two lovers.—
Tere Aguilera,
Billboard,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Federal funds allowed many schools to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite tumbling enrollment numbers.—
Jeremy Tanner,
The Hill,
29 Sep. 2025
-
An unnamed climber lost control while glissading down another route, Avalanche Gulch, tumbling several hundred feet down the mountain.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descending. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share