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 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 Beneath it, museumgoers line up to drop a ball into a teak ramp that descends down the length of the Guggenheim spiral. — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026 What begins as an awkward diplomatic retreat descends into humiliation, manipulation, and psychological power games. — Annika Pham, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026 Color begins near 10,000 feet in September, and then descends roughly 500 to 1,000 feet per week. — Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2026 Like the real-life star of such films as Black Swan, M is a former child actor whose film roles include a ballerina who descends into madness. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026 Mayday goes on too long and veers into nonsensical directions, with one episode depicting the pair breaking into a Soviet official’s home that descends into bedroom farce. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 It’s designed to be a celebratory moment before mayhem descends. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 Prince, 29, descends a set of stairs and warmly greets his famous father’s enduring admirers in video shot by @JPASC24. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for descends

Verb

In July, Reeves shared a brief clip of test footage of the upcoming film, which included the first proper look at Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne in a new Batsuit as what appears to be snow falls around him.

— Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Margins shrink, investment capacity falls and businesses have fewer resources to innovate or improve the underlying infrastructure.

— Sanjay Ghare, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of falls

Verb

This Victoria Falls masterpiece is, as its name suggests, modeled on the rich colors of one of the world’s most spectacular waterfalls, which sits on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe where the Zambezi River plunges over a basalt cliff.

— Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026
The film plunges James deep into the wilds with his retired military dog Odin after their small plan crash lands during a camping trip.

— Emily Zemler, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 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

Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that worsens over time.

— Jennifer Fields, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
French budget crisis worsens amid student protests France could be on the precipice of a financial crisis, as escalating student protests roiled an already shaky bond market.

— Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026