Definition of descantnext
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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2
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

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
  • After the game, manager Hinch spoke about planning the special moment ahead of Verlander’s official retirement with the help of Upton.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2026
  • If your flight is impacted, speak to a customer service agent at the airport and Hopper recommends reaching out to the airline through their app or by giving them a call at the same time as well.
    — Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • In fact, until the end, the fans treated it like a typical late-season Sun game from years past, when the franchise was a perennial playoff contender, cheering, chanting, getting after the refs at all the right moments.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
  • But outside the hall, several thousand protesters chanted that he should be arrested for being a terrorist.
    — Eric Shawn, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The new threat assessment joins a chorus of Russia warnings from top European security officials and lawmakers in recent days.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In the poppy, jingly track, Ahlers sings the chorus with a sparkling falsetto and the verses in a lower chest voice.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The objective is to make weapon employment measurable, rather than relying primarily on observations made during or after an exercise.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026
  • From my observations, this is the part many brands are missing.
    — Margareta Petrovic, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Professors structure lectures with an awareness of how a sentence might circulate online.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Especially for him in the same interview to be lecturing my party on democracy and norms.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • This year, he’s scheduled to sing alongside RAYE and Swims for the George Michael tribute.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2026
  • After Wilson sang the first verse, Vedder emerged and took the mic — naturally, the crowd went bonkers.
    — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2026
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
Noun
  • Tarek Mueller, managing director at About You, the German online fashion retailer that Zalando acquired in July 2025, asked in his opening remarks.
    — Cathrin Schaer, Footwear News, 26 Sep. 2026
  • But still, this felt different — as Gray himself noted in his moving introductory remarks, reflecting on growing up a few miles away from the Upper West Side.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Descant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descant. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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