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
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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
Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Tens of thousands of revelers will be descending on Gobbler’s Knob in rural Pennsylvania to witness this year’s prognostication, which will be made after groundhog Phil gets brought to the stage from his hatch on a tree stump.
—Mark Scolforo, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
His reflections on the controversies and critical snubbings that greeted movies that have since become consensus masterpieces are nuanced without descending into false modesty.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
At one point, the plane quickly soared from 1,800 feet up to 4,000 feet before descending again.
—CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Kafka compared it to descending into the cold abyss of oneself.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
In October, a resident of View Park-Windsor Hills, an unincorporated neighborhood in West Los Angeles, spied a man descending into a manhole and called police.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
That will be one of the byproducts of the high pressure building again along the northern part of the state, creating a ridge that will prevent storms from descending into the region.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers will visit AAC for the second time since last season’s midseason trade to play against the surging Mavericks on Saturday night, despite a looming winter storm descending upon North Texas.
—Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
At one point, the plane quickly soared from 1,800 feet (550 meters) up to 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) before descending again.
—Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Tens of thousands of revelers will be descending on Gobbler’s Knob in rural Pennsylvania to witness this year’s prognostication, which will be made after groundhog Phil gets brought to the stage from his hatch on a tree stump.
—Mark Scolforo, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
His reflections on the controversies and critical snubbings that greeted movies that have since become consensus masterpieces are nuanced without descending into false modesty.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
At one point, the plane quickly soared from 1,800 feet up to 4,000 feet before descending again.
—CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Kafka compared it to descending into the cold abyss of oneself.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
In October, a resident of View Park-Windsor Hills, an unincorporated neighborhood in West Los Angeles, spied a man descending into a manhole and called police.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
That will be one of the byproducts of the high pressure building again along the northern part of the state, creating a ridge that will prevent storms from descending into the region.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers will visit AAC for the second time since last season’s midseason trade to play against the surging Mavericks on Saturday night, despite a looming winter storm descending upon North Texas.
—Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descending
Verb
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The 83-year-old senator has had multiple health issues over the past few years, including publicly freezing during a press conference in 2023 and falling ahead of a Senate vote in October 2025.—
Lillian Metzmeier,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Feb. 2026
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Among the videos, prosecutors wrote, is one that shows the bullet hitting Kirk, blood coming from his neck and Kirk falling from his chair.—
Matthew Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Another 2024 study published in Biology found that adults who did strength training had a lower biological age—suggesting that their bodies were deteriorating more slowly than is typical for their chronological age.—
Jamie Friedlander Serrano,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
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There are five other main characters with rapidly deteriorating lives that deserve our attention, but what is a recapper to do?—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The dress featured a keyhole cutout for a plunging neckline, framed by strong shoulders and long sleeves, which balanced the streamlined, formfitting silhouette.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
4 Feb. 2026
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The selection suggested borrowing costs will stay high, driving gains in the dollar and a rout of gold and silver, which each fell more than 5% after plunging on Friday.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 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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The interior dining room, divided into two levels and connected by a slowly sloping ramp, could at first cynical glance register as backdrop.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
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The town’s sloping main street, nestled in the craggy Wasatch Range, has practically become a symbol of the annual film gathering.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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American oil companies were reluctant to pour money into Venezuela given the country’s crumbling infrastructure, its history of political instability, and the cost of refining its low-quality reserves.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
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For years, students have complained of mold and crumbling conditions at the school.—
Dennis Valera,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Tuesday’s game in Milwaukee is their penultimate matchup against the Bucks, who are tumbling toward draft lottery status without Giannis Antetokounmpo.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
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Silver also suffered its worst daily loss, tumbling more than 31%.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
2 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Descending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descending. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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