1
as in dips
the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude
the airplane began its gradual descent to the landing field
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deteriorations
a change to a lower state or level
the nation's rapid descent into anarchy after the revolution
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in demises
a loss of status
for throwing the game, the ballplayer underwent a huge descent in the eyes of the fans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in incursions
a sudden attack on and entrance into hostile territory
the lightning descent of the invading army on that unsuspecting border town
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in attacks
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
the descent of the voracious locusts on the wheat fields
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in ancestries
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended
a person of Finnish descent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in downhills
a downward slope
on bicycle tours the ascents always seem to outnumber the descents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descents
The route includes some short ascents and descents and takes place on a variety of paths, including pavement, loose gravel, and forest trails.
—
Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2026
During certain portions of the race, competitors are forced to scramble on all fours while navigating steep inclines and narrow descents.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
Vastnaut One includes motors positioned at the knees that help absorb impact as the foot lands, reducing the stress that typically builds up over long descents.
—New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2026
Plan for dense fog, heavy dew on grassy, sock-soaking paths, and take it easy on eroded descents.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Beyond the basic forward, up, and down movements, the Super Sub can move laterally and make 45-degree descents or sharp turns at depth.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2026
The female athlete starts first, making two ascents, two descents and one section on foot.
—Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
The relay course is slightly bigger and involves two accents and two descents per lap.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
Occasional descents into all-out war are a clear and present danger.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2026
During certain portions of the race, competitors are forced to scramble on all fours while navigating steep inclines and narrow descents.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
Vastnaut One includes motors positioned at the knees that help absorb impact as the foot lands, reducing the stress that typically builds up over long descents.
—New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2026
Plan for dense fog, heavy dew on grassy, sock-soaking paths, and take it easy on eroded descents.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Beyond the basic forward, up, and down movements, the Super Sub can move laterally and make 45-degree descents or sharp turns at depth.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2026
The female athlete starts first, making two ascents, two descents and one section on foot.
—Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
The relay course is slightly bigger and involves two accents and two descents per lap.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
Occasional descents into all-out war are a clear and present danger.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descents
Noun
-
Cannabis is perishable—operators cannot stockpile inventory to smooth pricing cycles or ride out market dips.—
Peter Su,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
-
Tap the team there for everything from aesthetics to dentistry, while taking regular dips in the enormous indoor pool or guided hikes through the hills of the Black Forest.—
Todd Plummer,
Robb Report,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
Similar deteriorations took place in Tuscany and in Naples.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
SpaceX, the commercial spaceflight company Musk founded in 2002, has endured a few more fiery demises of the mammoth Starship rocket since that explosive debut.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
No reason was provided for the shops’ demises.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In 2022, French forces departed Mali as insurgents made incursions into the capital, Bamako.—
Kaitlyn Rabe,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
-
Among the measures put in effect at the Santa Clara stadium and those in other cities are new protections against drone incursions.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
The Kerch road and rail crossing, opened by Putin in 2018, has been the target of previous Ukrainian attacks.—
Gianluca Mezzofiore,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
-
The first is Kryla, a compact cruise missile carrying a 50-kilogram warhead designed for saturation attacks.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
Eastern and western ancestries in Karelian Mesolithic dogs suggest that two lineages diverged during the Paleolithic.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
-
That drops to 49% for Hispanic/Latino patients, 29% for Black patients and even lower for mixed ancestries, the NMDP reports.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The World Cup continues with two downhills and a super-G in Italy next weekend.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Mar. 2026
-
The prospect of Shiffrin pairing with Lindsey Vonn, who’s excelled in the downhills this season, to fight for USA gold surely has NBC execs salivating.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Retailers face challenges from SNAP cuts and consumer fatigue, needing to demonstrate value as price drops will be delayed for months.—
Phil Lempert,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
Mix a few drops of mild dish soap into a bucket of warm water.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Descents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descents. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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