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
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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
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Recent Examples of descending
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 22 May 2026
Then, the repetitive descending melody is interrupted and restarts; in this musical rupture the trance is broken.
—Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Joy Benedict, CBS News, 6 June 2026
The dashcam video shows the interior of the cab in the moments before and after the collision, as the driver appears to notice the rapidly descending plane just before impact.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 5 June 2026
The host will even walk you as close to the bathroom as possible, without actually descending the stairs and opening the door for you.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
No, the most unpleasant part of descending into New York City's vast sewer system, according to former urban explorer Steve Duncan, was the cockroaches.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
The experienced guide was last seen around May 29 while descending the mountain after a summit attempt.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Country music fans are descending upon Nashville this weekend for the CMA Fest, a four-day festival that brings emerging and top artists up-close-and-personal with their biggest supporters.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 3 June 2026
Hyde has McCallany playing Detective Grimes, a haunted investigator descending into the decaying underbelly of a crumbling metropolis while hunting a brutal serial killer.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 1 June 2026
Most of the deaths along the pass have happened while climbers are descending.
—Becky Bohrer, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Adjective
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
Then, the repetitive descending melody is interrupted and restarts; in this musical rupture the trance is broken.
—Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
Helicopters and troops descending upon the Puente Hills Mall rattled Palacios and her daughter, who live a block away from the shopping center.
—Joy Benedict, CBS News, 6 June 2026
The dashcam video shows the interior of the cab in the moments before and after the collision, as the driver appears to notice the rapidly descending plane just before impact.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 5 June 2026
The host will even walk you as close to the bathroom as possible, without actually descending the stairs and opening the door for you.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
No, the most unpleasant part of descending into New York City's vast sewer system, according to former urban explorer Steve Duncan, was the cockroaches.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
The experienced guide was last seen around May 29 while descending the mountain after a summit attempt.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Country music fans are descending upon Nashville this weekend for the CMA Fest, a four-day festival that brings emerging and top artists up-close-and-personal with their biggest supporters.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 3 June 2026
Hyde has McCallany playing Detective Grimes, a haunted investigator descending into the decaying underbelly of a crumbling metropolis while hunting a brutal serial killer.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 1 June 2026
Most of the deaths along the pass have happened while climbers are descending.
—Becky Bohrer, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descending
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
-
Although the push to get Huang out of the race failed, the leftist’s campaign ended up falling flat, securing less than 3% of the vote in the primary.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
Wall Street, meanwhile, got some relief from falling oil prices.—
Stan Choe,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
The track shouldn’t do that The problem was a new patch of tarmac that apparently wasn’t up to scratch and started deteriorating under the cars’ tires.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
8 June 2026
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Yet many investors and strategists say foreign selling has less to do with deteriorating fundamentals and more to do with the market's own success.—
Sean Conlon,Joseph Wilkins,Tanaya Macheel,Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The floor-length number was designed with a plunging V-neck, adorned with sparkling floral appliques.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
-
Strong wind gusts are expected to move into the Boise area, forecasters said, bringing low road visibility, plunging temperatures and possible power outages.—
Hali Smith,
Idaho Statesman,
10 June 2026
Verb
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The popular halftime performer known as Red Panda finished her signature seven-minute set, looked up at a crowd of fans chanting her name and flashed a smile before dismounting.—
Alanis Thames,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The woman told investigators Herzing had made similar threats in July, which resulted in the victim suffering minor scrapes after dismounting at a stoplight.—
Lauren Breunig,
Twin Cities,
2 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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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
Verb
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The village boutiques scattered along the sloping cobblestone alleys are just a five-minute stroll away, and offer the standard unremarkable Provence souvenirs—traditional fabrics, yellow pottery, straw bags, and sweet-smelling soaps.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
Completed in 1965, the striking olive green–accented structure is tucked away behind a circular motor court, amid a sloping hillside parcel spanning nearly half an acre.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Photos from the local information office in General Santos City, which has about 720,000 people, showed convenience stores and buildings crumbling in the aftermath of the quake.—
Kathleen Magramo,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
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Those who work in Cuba’s crumbling tourism sector lamented Meliá’s announcement.—
Andrea Rodríguez,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Descending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descending. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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