as in bowing
bending downward or forward
with descending heads the mourners made their way to the burial site
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descending
Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Buyers, sellers, and everyone in between are descending on the capital in decent spirits, seeking out the next big thing.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026
The world’s largest-ever AI summit took place in India this week, with hundreds of thousands of people, including world leaders and CEOs of AI companies, descending upon New Delhi for six days.
—Billy Perrigo, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
The Rooms Each of the 51 guest rooms and suites features a panoramic terrace or balcony framing views of skiers descending down Jardin Alpin.
—Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026
The Denali National Park and Preserve said the skier and his climbing partner, a snowboarder, triggered the avalanche high on the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) peak while descending a slope.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
The world’s top tech executives are descending on New Delhi this week for an AI summit, part of India’s efforts to position itself as a global leader in next-generation technologies.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
The mothers each fell in love with their husbands as Europe was descending into war.
—Lesley Stahl, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026
New York might be painfully cold, but that hasn’t stopped the fashion pack from dressing up and descending on the city’s icy thoroughfares.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 12 Feb. 2026
Verb
Antibus said forecasters at the Sierra Avalanche Center are concerned about a swath of people descending into the backcountry’s slopes and triggering numerous avalanches.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Buyers, sellers, and everyone in between are descending on the capital in decent spirits, seeking out the next big thing.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026
The world’s largest-ever AI summit took place in India this week, with hundreds of thousands of people, including world leaders and CEOs of AI companies, descending upon New Delhi for six days.
—Billy Perrigo, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
The Rooms Each of the 51 guest rooms and suites features a panoramic terrace or balcony framing views of skiers descending down Jardin Alpin.
—Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026
The Denali National Park and Preserve said the skier and his climbing partner, a snowboarder, triggered the avalanche high on the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) peak while descending a slope.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
The world’s top tech executives are descending on New Delhi this week for an AI summit, part of India’s efforts to position itself as a global leader in next-generation technologies.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
The mothers each fell in love with their husbands as Europe was descending into war.
—Lesley Stahl, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026
New York might be painfully cold, but that hasn’t stopped the fashion pack from dressing up and descending on the city’s icy thoroughfares.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 12 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descending
Verb
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But despite the loss, Lucas was pleased with the way several of the players for the Golden Hawks (2-1) came through in the clutch and how the team battled back after falling behind 6-1.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
25 Feb. 2026
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After falling behind by 11 during an uneven first half, the Celtics buried the Suns with a 50-11 run that stretched from midway through the second quarter until late in the third.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Officials said that the food security situation is deteriorating because of water shortages, insecurity, conflict and historically low levels of humanitarian assistance linked to global funding cuts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Feb. 2026
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Human rights groups in Senegal say that the situation for gay people in the country has been deteriorating since 2018, and that at least a dozen people have been arrested in recent weeks over allegations of homosexuality.—
Ope Adetayo,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Just days after hard-launching her relationship with French filmmaker Romain Gavras, EmRata lounged in a plunging plush white robe while wearing nothing but some sparkling loud luxury accessories.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
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The plunging value of the rial was one trigger for protests that began in late December in Tehran’s main bazaar and then spiraled nationwide.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 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
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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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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
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Hiking Falling Waters State Park features three short nature trails that wind through dense forests, past 100-foot-deep sinkholes, and over gently sloping terrain unique to North Florida.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Feb. 2026
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The cars were situated on a little plateau, almost a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by downward sloping terrain.—
Scott Eden,
Rolling Stone,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Complaints are growing in the Northern California city of Roseville over crumbling walkways, dead trees, and broken soundwalls.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
21 Feb. 2026
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Once the blocks and spires of Palma faded into the distance, the 25-minute drive from the airport took me past crumbling homes, fields of curious farm animals, and not a soul in sight for miles at a time.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Trump backed down from a threat to launch a military invasion following congressional blowback, tumbling stock prices and criticism from America's closest allies.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
23 Feb. 2026
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The falls sent him tumbling from first place all the way off the podium.—
Sallee Ann Harrison,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Descending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descending. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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