DESCENDS Synonyms: 143 Similar and Opposite Words

descends

verb

present tense third-person singular of descend

as in falls

to lead or extend downward the pathway descends to the river bank

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as in deteriorates

to become worse or of less value the order of the classroom descended into chaos when the teacher left the room

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as in plunges

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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as in dismounts

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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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 descends As the meal goes on and Rob seems to become increasingly inebriated, the night descends into nonsensical confrontations between Rob and the bartender, Rob and producers, Rob and his brother, and, finally, Rob and Michaella. — Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026 The rest of the film quickly descends into various levels of nightmarish weirdness. — Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026 As evening descends on Paris, there are ominous signs for what lies ahead tonight. — Elina Baudier Kim, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 The visuals are too murky even to provide a nasty thrill when a pod of orcas descends on Jay’s gargantuan host. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026 The sprawling network, which could date as far back as the 8th century BCE, descends roughly 280 feet, housing everything from stables and kitchens to rock-cut churches and escape tunnels. — Maya Chawla, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026 Kennedy’s plane descends and his air speed increases, eventually exceeding 4,700 feet per minute. — Liz McNeil, PEOPLE, 12 Oct. 2026 From the parking lot, which requires an $11 day-use fee, the trail gradually descends along Bear Creek for the first couple of miles. — Abigail Bliss, Denver Post, 1 Oct. 2026 Dawn breaks over the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii as the Starship, now out of the re-entry heating zone, descends toward splashdown looking none the worse for the wear. — William Harwood, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for descends

Verb

The 6% lead for the No side falls outside the poll’s margin of error, which was around 3% according to PPIC.

— Andrew Graham October 27, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
The Hamptons If your trip falls between late spring and early fall and you’re situated on the East Coast, a trip to the Hamptons will likely be hassle-free enough for everyone involved.

— Vogue, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of falls

Verb

Appropriately enough, the film is about a future when a super-intelligent AI has spread across the globe, and humanity has handed control to algorithms, which plunges the world into a crisis.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2026
Stepping forward, my right foot suddenly plunges through the floorboards, soft and wet with rot.

— Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of plunges

Verb

When new, concrete possesses a thin, temporarily protective layer that, if not maintained, will wear away, exposing the interior, which gradually crumbles.

— Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
The Packers’ identity is that of a team that can’t shut the door, one that crumbles when momentum turns in a hostile away environment.

— Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of crumbles

Verb

From trashing bedrooms and throwing couches, the pair tumbles down stairs and has a chase across the lawn before ending up in the pool.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Front load washers are built with a horizontal drum that tumbles the clothes in each cycle.

— Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of tumbles

Verb

Hoping to make his way back to his brother, Håkan disembarks in California and immediately heads East, against the flow of all the homesteaders and forty-niners streaming West.

— Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Former President Bill Clinton disembarks a jet at Islamabad International Airport in March 2000.

— Tiago Ventura, Time, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of disembarks

Verb

Although researchers and experts know that hormonal changes can influence how the nervous system processes pain and may heighten pain sensitivity, researchers have yet to establish whether declining estrogen directly worsens fibromyalgia.

— Cheyenne Buckingham, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026
French bond turmoil worsens French social and political volatility is compounded by an emerging fiscal crisis, which on Thursday pushed its benchmark government borrowing cost to a fresh 24-year high.

— Jenni Reid, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026