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
The other occurs when Marty descends a staircase in the opulent apartment that Kay shares with her rich husband, Milton (Kevin O’Leary).
—
Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 5 Jan. 2026
Netflix What happens when a supernatural danger descends on a blissful retirement community?
—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 2 Jan. 2026
What starts as a typical gig for the punk band the Ain't Rights quickly descends into pure terror after a show at an isolated neo-Nazi bar takes a deadly turn.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Dec. 2025
My sole reason for living is the wondrous love that descends upon me like drops of dew from the heart of my royal friend—as though from the lap of God—fructifying new seeds of life within me!
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
While Sammie is naive, impatient, and yearning for adulthood, Delta Slim is wise, heedless yeet unflappable, and the surprising steady voice when the juke joint descends into chaos.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 30 Dec. 2025
What begins as a cordial gathering to discuss the upcoming production quickly descends into a brutal psychological brawl as egos, ideologies, and historical baggage collide.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 17 Dec. 2025
Photos show that the cave can only be accessed through a staircase that descends underground from an open field.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
Carol is casually chatting with her manager and romantic partner, Helen (Miriam Shor), when the pathogen descends on everyone, creating a horrific scene of silent, seizing bodies.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 5 Jan. 2026
Netflix What happens when a supernatural danger descends on a blissful retirement community?
—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 2 Jan. 2026
What starts as a typical gig for the punk band the Ain't Rights quickly descends into pure terror after a show at an isolated neo-Nazi bar takes a deadly turn.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Dec. 2025
My sole reason for living is the wondrous love that descends upon me like drops of dew from the heart of my royal friend—as though from the lap of God—fructifying new seeds of life within me!
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
While Sammie is naive, impatient, and yearning for adulthood, Delta Slim is wise, heedless yeet unflappable, and the surprising steady voice when the juke joint descends into chaos.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 30 Dec. 2025
What begins as a cordial gathering to discuss the upcoming production quickly descends into a brutal psychological brawl as egos, ideologies, and historical baggage collide.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 17 Dec. 2025
Photos show that the cave can only be accessed through a staircase that descends underground from an open field.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
Carol is casually chatting with her manager and romantic partner, Helen (Miriam Shor), when the pathogen descends on everyone, creating a horrific scene of silent, seizing bodies.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descends
Verb
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Worse, the tariff burden is a regressive tax that falls hardest on lower-income households and small businesses with less bargaining power.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
-
There’s nothing as cozy as snuggling up in front of the fire while snow falls peacefully outside.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When those conditions are absent, performance deteriorates quickly.—
Katerin Le Folcalvez,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The Kyiv Post reported Thursday that Ukrainian military officials say Russian units left inside the city are cut off from reliable supply lines and are increasingly surrendering as their position deteriorates.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
26 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The teaser plunges viewers into the world of two content creators from contrasting backgrounds who unite for a collaboration fueled by curiosity, social media clout and mutual attraction.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Their love scene in the rain, while obviously less visually spectacular than in the film, plunges headlong into romantic cliches that manage to get the job done despite their obviousness.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Academic success means little if a child crumbles under stress.—
Dr. Mona Amin,
CNBC,
5 Dec. 2025
-
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
Verb
-
After some careful shaking, the rabbit finally tumbles out of the hose.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
18 Dec. 2025
-
The glass tumbles day and night in the waves against the pebbles and sand.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
In the climax, the yacht docks in Norway, and everyone disembarks.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Sam slips back into her addiction and as her alcoholism worsens, so do the visions and apparitions that seem to be haunting the forest.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
-
As climate change worsens, more locations are going to become too hot for data centers.—
Devika Rao,
TheWeek,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Easter eggs of art history are plentiful, telling a story that dips and darts in many thrilling directions.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
11 Jan. 2026
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As the sun dips, gather to participate in a temazcal heat ceremony, curated for mind, body, and spiritual cleansing, before sharing a meal and stories cooked by a private chef.—
Gemma Price,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Descends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descends. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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