1
as in drop
the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude
the airplane began its gradual descent to the landing field
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Relevance
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2
as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
the family patriarch's heartbreaking descent into infirmity and senility
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3
as in degradation
a change to a lower state or level
the nation's rapid descent into anarchy after the revolution
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4
as in demise
a loss of status
for throwing the game, the ballplayer underwent a huge descent in the eyes of the fans
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5
as in invasion
a sudden attack on and entrance into hostile territory
the lightning descent of the invading army on that unsuspecting border town
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6
as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
the descent of the voracious locusts on the wheat fields
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7
as in ancestry
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended
a person of Finnish descent
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8
as in downhill
a downward slope
on bicycle tours the ascents always seem to outnumber the descents
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descent
Reeves is of Native American descent, the sheriff’s office said.
—
Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2025
While the long-popular attraction retains much of its ride infrastructure, including an elevator lift and flume design that allows for a steep, watery descent, Journey to Atlantis does have new elements, beginning with the queue itself.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2025
More than 900 attendees packed the event and in succeeding years, other national sports figures were honored, as well as graduating high school students of Polish-Slovak descent from Lake and Porter high schools.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2025
Inflation’s descent has stopped above 2% before tariffs hit, stock prices are rising, risky borrowers are finding money cheap, crypto assets are booming, and bank lending is up.
—Jon Hilsenrath, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descent
Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2025
While the long-popular attraction retains much of its ride infrastructure, including an elevator lift and flume design that allows for a steep, watery descent, Journey to Atlantis does have new elements, beginning with the queue itself.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2025
More than 900 attendees packed the event and in succeeding years, other national sports figures were honored, as well as graduating high school students of Polish-Slovak descent from Lake and Porter high schools.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2025
Inflation’s descent has stopped above 2% before tariffs hit, stock prices are rising, risky borrowers are finding money cheap, crypto assets are booming, and bank lending is up.
—Jon Hilsenrath, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descent
Noun
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Sabalenka, who has the much greater variety of the two players, started to bring the drop shot into play.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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Ultimately, costly mistakes — a Miles Sanders red zone fumble in the third quarter and three drops from CeeDee Lamb in the fourth quarter — gave the Eagles a slim 24-20 victory.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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These ingredients reflect a growing shift in pet wellness away from simply slowing joint deterioration and toward rebuilding comfort, restoring flexibility, and reducing inflammation at the source.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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But the deployment of—among others—three destroyers, at least one submarine and an amphibious ready group (ARG) filled with Marines is a further deterioration in the poor relationship between Washington and Caracas that appears to have spooked Maduro.—
Ellie Cook
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Once opened, maple syrup should be stored in the refrigerator to prevent mold growth and flavor degradation.—
Heather Riske,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Aug. 2025
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Suppression repair is a critical part of firefighting efforts, to reduce erosion and soil degradation in the areas used in the firefighting efforts.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The celebrity chef’s raw and darkly humorous memoir explores her family’s demise and reconstruction — through divorce, estrangements, a brother’s sudden death and another’s suicide.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
31 Aug. 2025
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Responses that, early on, can feel pragmatic—waiting it out, remaining silent, cutting a deal—only embolden autocrats, leading ultimately to the demise of democracy itself.—
DANIEL ZIBLATT,
Foreign Affairs,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This time producer Brad Ingelsby tapped Mark Ruffalo as a depressed and traumatized FBI agent leading a task force investigating a series of home invasions targeting drug dens in the area.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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Kim, Xi and Putin gathered for the military parade amid Ukrainian and Western concerns over the collaboration of the three nations in bolstering Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, ongoing since February 2022.—
Leah Sarnoff,
ABC News,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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As aid groups say famine has already taken hold, the assault risks the lives of remaining hostages—captured by Hamas in its October 2023 attack—while Netanyahu faces mounting political turmoil at home, even as Washington continues to hold Hamas responsible for prolonging the conflict.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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Even when put under lighter sanctions in 2018, during the Salisbury chemical attack, claims of election interference, and criminal cyber operations continued.—
Earl Carr,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The film claims Kahlo was of Indigenous Zapotec ancestry on her mother’s side, and thus briefly engages with that civilization’s worldview.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 Aug. 2025
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Our family tree is more like a bush, with lots of twigs that were dead ends—failed evolutionary experiments that occurred outside of our direct line of ancestry.—
Kate Wong,
Scientific American,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Sanders took the approach of a speedy downhill runner compared to Jordan’s meandering style and also caught a short pass from Maiava and ran it in 74 yards for a touchdown and returned punts for USC in the second quarter.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
31 Aug. 2025
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While Pakistan is widely known among mountaineers for peaks like K2, Nanga Parbat and Broad Peak, its relatively untapped ski terrain creates a rare opportunity for exclusive downhill experiences.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descent. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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