descents

plural of descent
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 descents But the paint allegedly became slippery in the sun, and three riders, including one known as a master of descents, crashed. — Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 The relentless Carapaz pressured the American on the descents and put himself in the position to profit. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 25 July 2026 On top of that, the Ultra 2 carries an EN13319 diving certification, whereas the original Ultra and the Galaxy Watch 9 are not safe for scuba descents. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 24 July 2026 While there are some hills, the focus is on enjoying the forests, farmhouses, and long, winding descents rather than chasing summits. — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descents
Noun
  • In This Article From fun, quirky dips to sweet, tangy cake frostings and cheesecakes to cheesy sausage balls, cream cheese runs the gamut from sweet to savory Southern recipes.
    — Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The park remains a community fixture, however, where people host children’s birthday parties, take lake dips and picnic, all under the shade of the ancient trees.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 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
  • Drone incursions into Romania’s airspace have also increased significantly.
    — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Officials in Poland, Germany and Denmark have in recent weeks accused Russia of involvement in drone incursions, sabotage, arson, surveillance of defense facilities and planning to use a drone carrying explosives to attack an airport.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Zelenskyy said Ukrainian special forces struck the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Samara, southeast of Moscow, and another refinery in the neighboring Bashkortostan region in overnight attacks.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
  • In the days after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, makeshift memorials started to appear around the perimeter of Ground Zero and at sites around the world associated with the United States.
    — Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • But Shanes questioned whether grouping Jews under a single ethnic category would produce sufficiently specific data for those purposes, or instead obscure differences among Jewish populations with distinct ancestries.
    — Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • This technique overcomes limitations of older methods like genotyping arrays, which were often biased towards European ancestries and less accurate.
    — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The Picklejus aims for the complete package in mountain running, tackling not just distances greater than 100 miles but also the dramatic uphills and downhills that may come along the way.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The World Cup continues with two downhills and a super-G in Italy next weekend.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Facing an experienced secondary, the Horned Frogs’ young receivers showed signs of growth with zero drops and a number of impressive catches.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Sep. 2026
  • This will also help protect the roots from temperature drops.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 17 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Descents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descents. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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