Thesaurus results for DISCANT

descant 1 of 2

verb

ˈdes-ˌkant

Definition of descant

as in to speak

to give a formal often extended talk on a subject an English professor who loves to descant on his beloved Shakespeare

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to chant

to produce musical sounds with the voice the world-famous soprano descanted above the melody line

Synonyms & Similar Words

descant

2 of 2

noun

variants also discant

as in chorus

Related Words

as in observation

Related Words

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 descant

Noun

Bart, too idiosyncratic merely to copy the idiosyncrasies of the movie’s Christopher Lloyd, instead adds a descant of commentary atop them, sometimes seeming to extemporize a different show entirely. — Jesse Green, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023 For seven decades, Katz has been providing a visual descant to the work of the New York School of poets, many of whom were his friends. — Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2022

Recent Examples of Synonyms for descant

Verb

In addition to conversations with Gansey and head coach Nick Nurse, The Athletic spoke with three league sources with direct knowledge of Philadelphia’s offseason maneuvering.

— Tony Jones, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, speaking to Danish news agency Ritzau in Nuuk, said the message from Greenland’s government and people had been consistent.

— Reuters, NBC news, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of speak

Verb

Fans chanted it for years inside The Swamp after being cued up by the marching band.

— Matt Baker, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
As the ovation stretched into its sixth minute, the audience began chanting for director Lance Oppenheim and singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers, who makes her acting debut in the film.

— Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of chant

Noun

When late summer rolls around, Taylor Fritz joins a chorus of Americans in extoling the virtues of hard courts and talking about how the North American swing is his favorite time of year.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
In the wake of Thursday’s ruling, a chorus of Missouri Republicans have attacked the court over its decision.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of chorus

Noun

Yet Kisley was not surprised by this observation despite its novelty.

— Isabel Gil, Scientific American, 3 Sep. 2026
Information for the charges came from multiple sources, including citizen informants, who had observed Wolff hunting on their property, observations made by wardens while on patrol, and surveillance.

— David Zeug, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of observation

Verb

Especially for him in the same interview to be lecturing my party on democracy and norms.

— NBC news, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
Coach Hudson defends Ricky to Gerry’s face, but privately lectures his daughter about the optics of their close relationship as a female football coach and tells her to put some space between her and Chad (and unknowingly, Russ).

— Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of lecture

Verb

Ortiz would go on trips with the church’s youth group and sing with the choir every Wednesday and Sunday before services.

— Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
Moore plays Mona Friedman, a meek housewife who hasn’t sung in front of anyone since church choir and is unexpectedly cast in a community-theater production — then transforms into a zealous method actor willing to wage war over a marginal role.

— Clayton Davis, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of sing

Noun

Latin polyphony and motets are being sung at the Offertory and during the distribution of Holy Communion.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 June 2025
Her husband, my grandfather, was not only a composer who wrote liturgical music, motets, symphonies, and string quartets but also a beloved music teacher who believed that music was as crucial to the development of the mind as math.

— Stephanie H. Murray, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2024

Definition of motet

Noun

In his opening remarks after the 52-16 win, coach Curt Cignetti mentioned the heat first.

— Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Ruto reportedly made the remarks last week, days before ordering Tata Chemicals to leave the country, accusing it of failing to create jobs and process minerals locally.

— Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026