1
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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variants
also discant
1
as in chorus
Related Words
2
as in observation
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of descant
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
The Hynde storyline, which includes her messing around with songs on an acoustic guitar, runs as a kind of descant against the personal and professional noise of the Pistols.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022
Then comes a longer descant of mixed-up work, including bad versions of pop tunes and ambitious attempts at pop epics.
—Adam Gopni, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2021
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
The Hynde storyline, which includes her messing around with songs on an acoustic guitar, runs as a kind of descant against the personal and professional noise of the Pistols.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022
Then comes a longer descant of mixed-up work, including bad versions of pop tunes and ambitious attempts at pop epics.
—Adam Gopni, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descant
Verb
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Police say another mother, identified in the affidavit as Jada Hayes, remained in the parking lot after the meeting to speak with Dunmars about allegations that Dunmars’ child was bullying her own child.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
-
When the three-time All-Star with the Braves speaks highly of current catcher Drake Baldwin, his comments hold a little more weight.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Fans went back-and-forth chanting for Sami and Trick as Zayn opened up with his deep arsenal of offense.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
-
The performers were wearing drapes over their heads and chanting to drone music while smoking a hookah, and there were flowers everywhere.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Those are the choruses of some of the most popular songs by the Cocteau Twins, a band that seemed to come from out of nowhere with its own musical language, and its own deeply original way of using the English language.—
Al Shipley,
SPIN,
12 May 2026
-
The clouds are a chorus behind them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
This granular account of the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development, written by a former senior official, draws on internal records and firsthand observations to depict how the government agency was systematically taken apart.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Here are several other observations after the Twins lost two of three to the Brewers over the weekend.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Proctor bragged about properly hydrating himself before practice, which is something past and present Dolphins coaches and trainers annually lecture the newcomers about to avoid dehydration, and the use of intravenous fluids.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
10 May 2026
-
For years, states such as New York and California have been run by politicians who seem to believe prosperity is permanent — an endless resource to be taxed a little more, regulated a little harder and lectured a little longer.—
Larry Clifton,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Finding the strength to sing her own song at the pop showcase, to stand alone on that stage and build all of those elements herself — that was the emotional culmination of everything.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
13 May 2026
-
But people are also doing it in pubs as well, and everyone’s up having to sing.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Latin polyphony and motets are being sung at the Offertory and during the distribution of Holy Communion.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 June 2025
-
The service and concert will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, at the church, 815 S. Washington St. Castle Singers are vocalists who perform a variety of chamber repertoire, varying from Renaissance madrigals and motets to contemporary pop and vocal jazz.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In his final remarks, Dolan thanked his parents, who were married in Missouri on May 14, 1949, as well as his brother, Pat, who provided a reading during the service.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
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In fact, the remark was an edit of different portions of the speech.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Descant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descant. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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