descant 1 of 2

verb

ˈdes-ˌkant How to pronounce descant (audio)
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
1
as in chorus

Related Words
2
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
  1. speak
  2. chant
  3. chorus
  4. observation
  5. lecture
  6. sing
  7. motet
  8. remark
Verb
  • The Associated Press spoke last week to participants and doctors at the health center where the trial is taking place in the eastern province of Ituri, the epicenter of the outbreak.
    — CONSTANT SAME BAGALWA, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The two defendants in the Manchester case spoke in court through interpreters, only to confirm their names, dates of birth and addresses, PA reported.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of speak
Verb
  • Soon, the police were there in force, but the dedication of the outraged, chanting crowd demanding the men’s release ensured this would be no ordinary standoff.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Students were recorded chanting against the morality police and political repression.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of chant
Noun
  • Where a chorus should hit, nearly everything drops out, leaving behind those drums to face off against the steady, impersonal rumble of a sub-bass.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Panels also featured decorations that included hearts, rainbows, sequins, a Star of David, a chef’s hat, a chorus line of dancers, teddy bears, and a panda.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of chorus
Noun
  • But Cathy isn’t a villain, even if her voiceover begins with an observation about monsters being born to human parents.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Taken on July 24, during a particularly large influx of solar particles into the atmosphere, the observations reveal the full extent of the northern lights in UV light.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of observation
Verb
  • The following May, Rogers accepted an invitation from Lee to lecture at two universities in China.
    — Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Often, the pincher is in the company of an elder who lectures to her.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of lecture
Verb
  • The nearly 5-year-old eagle has perched and sung with Shadow, who first paired up with Jackie in 2018.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • One of the beautiful things about books that sing across time is that these characters can feel so real to so many of us.
    — Max Gao, Variety, 4 Oct. 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
  • But the foster mother's treatment and cutting remarks increased her depression, and, at one point, Caldwell tried to end her life.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
  • After their brief remarks, the two headed to a fundraising event closed to the media.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of remark

Browse Nearby Words

desanctifying
descant
descanted
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Cite this Entry

“Descant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descant. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on descant

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about descant

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