1
as in falls
to lead or extend downward
the pathway descends to the river bank
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deteriorates
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 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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descends
In the film, a young girl (Linda Blair) becomes possessed by a demon and gradually descends into madness.
—
Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
The stakes just keep getting higher in this Grand Guignol of bloodthirsty excess, as bereaved government agent Soo-hyun (Lee Byung-hun) descends into shocking depravity in his pursuit of serial killer Kyung-chul (Choi Min-sik).
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
In a 20-second black and white video of the strike posted to X, a small boat can be seen apparently sitting motionless on the water when a long thin projectile descends on it, triggering an explosion.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
As music and dance meld in celebration of artistry, culture and history, an evil descends, threatening to devour the fabric and heart of the community — and all that Smoke and Stack have worked to achieve.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
The chain is routed through the center of the buoy, passes over a gypsy wheel, and descends again, while excess chain hangs freely to accommodate movement.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2025
Slide Away then descends on Los Angeles’ Hollywood Palladium on May 29 and 30 with Cryogeyser, Mint Field, Ovlov, Seko, and Terraplana rounding out the lineup.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 29 Sep. 2025
The slow ascent lasts about half a mile before the trail descends down a hillside.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
Continue reading … GAVELED OUT – Democrat lunges at chairman's gavel as immigration hearing descends into chaos.
—FOXNews.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
The stakes just keep getting higher in this Grand Guignol of bloodthirsty excess, as bereaved government agent Soo-hyun (Lee Byung-hun) descends into shocking depravity in his pursuit of serial killer Kyung-chul (Choi Min-sik).
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
In a 20-second black and white video of the strike posted to X, a small boat can be seen apparently sitting motionless on the water when a long thin projectile descends on it, triggering an explosion.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
As music and dance meld in celebration of artistry, culture and history, an evil descends, threatening to devour the fabric and heart of the community — and all that Smoke and Stack have worked to achieve.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
The chain is routed through the center of the buoy, passes over a gypsy wheel, and descends again, while excess chain hangs freely to accommodate movement.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2025
Slide Away then descends on Los Angeles’ Hollywood Palladium on May 29 and 30 with Cryogeyser, Mint Field, Ovlov, Seko, and Terraplana rounding out the lineup.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 29 Sep. 2025
The slow ascent lasts about half a mile before the trail descends down a hillside.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
Continue reading … GAVELED OUT – Democrat lunges at chairman's gavel as immigration hearing descends into chaos.
—FOXNews.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descends
Verb
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And King Priam, at great personal risk, shows up with a ransom and falls on his knees and clasps Achilles’ hand.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
As Venus and Chiron clash, an attempt to connect with a new acquaintance falls flat.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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As the situation deteriorates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany among others have urged their nationals to leave Bamako.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
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Exposure to such content also deteriorates her audience’s ability to form beliefs on the basis of the evidence and primes them for skepticism toward consequential matters like vaccines and medicine.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Their investigation plunges them into the shadowy corners of New York and beyond — where the trio uncovers a dangerous web of secrets connecting powerful billionaires, old-school mobsters and the mysterious residents of the Arconia.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
-
While the filmmaker’s first nine movies were modestly budgeted — see Inherent Vice (2014) or Hard Eight (1996) — the $140 million One Battle, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, plunges Anderson into franchise-like economics.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Toby’s display, overall, looks a lot nicer, but when Paul goes to take a slice of his cake from the chocolate case, the whole thing crumbles to a mess.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
-
At times, the house would break apart onstage, with the top half lifted in the air, only for YoungBoy to start aggressively rapping, standing supreme while the house crumbles around him.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Ralphy leaps up in shock, tumbles off the sofa, and sprints toward his owner, who is filming nearby.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Easy to roll your eyes at from the opening scene and increasingly pigheaded in all of the ones that follow, Man-su starts off a long way from likable and tumbles much lower in our estimation from there.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In the climax, the yacht docks in Norway, and everyone disembarks.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Just like a traditional hangover, ignoring the need to rest only worsens an introvert hangover.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Chronic brain inflammation contributes to neuronal death and worsens amyloid and tau pathology.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some azaleas are winter hardy to USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6, where the coldest winter night dips to -10 degrees.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
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Guests can dine at the on-site Beacon Restaurant, stroll the nearby boardwalk, or unwind by the fire pits as the sun seemingly dips into the glistening lake.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descends. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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