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
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in observation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descant
Jesse Green, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023
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
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
Birds provided an intermittent descant to the insect buzz and the drone of a distant tractor.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 2 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
This is a dark and defensive descant to a more substantial and necessary conversation about whiteness in America.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 3 July 2019
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
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
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
Birds provided an intermittent descant to the insect buzz and the drone of a distant tractor.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 2 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
This is a dark and defensive descant to a more substantial and necessary conversation about whiteness in America.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 3 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descant
Verb
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The billionaire South African businessman, Johann Rupert, spoke forcefully too.—
Jonny Steinberg,
Time,
22 May 2025
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Last year for Mother's Day, Parker spoke with PEOPLE about motherhood and shared that becoming a parent has been one of the greatest gifts she's received.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
22 May 2025
Verb
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Fans chanted his name during the ninth inning of his shutout.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
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Inside the building, chants to fire the team's president of basketball operations, Nico Harrison, reached a deafening decibel.—
Bobby Krivitsky,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Noun
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Billy Joel's documentary digs deep into past with poignancy – but he's 'not finished yet' Culture Club film delves into history filled with drama, Boy George, love and drugs ‘Walk of Fame’ The most compelling track on an album full of soaring choruses now has an equally absorbing video.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
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The post prompted a chorus of amusing responses from commenters.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Noun
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Each installment was a chance for a new joke, a new observation—about fashion, dating, public restrooms, artistic pretensions, being mistaken for a man—in an era when popular depictions of lesbian experience were rare.—
Charlie Tyson,
New Yorker,
4 June 2025
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Summer is prime time for backyard birdwatching, and Costco has just the thing to elevate your observation game.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
4 June 2025
Verb
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These days, nothing infuriates liberals more than to be lectured about the American plutocracy — not when Trump is perhaps the most brazenly corrupt president to hold the office in modern history.—
Alexander Heffner,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2025
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Maybe Healey can lecture them on how to sue Trump a hundred times and bankrupt a state on migrant hotel shelters.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
27 May 2025
Verb
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After a medley of his hits, sung by John Legend, will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, among others, Stone came onstage in a white mohawk, sunglasses and a metallic duster, with a cast on his right hand.—
Rob Tannenbaum,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
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In 1933, Berg ran what amounted to a Very Special Episode: a full Seder, sung by a real cantor, which Pepsodent, her sponsor, agreed to air without ads.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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But nothing is planned for Navy, Marines Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks celebrating 250 years of the U.S. Army, organizers say, with remarks and other celebration events expected to focus on various achievements and legacies of the branch.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
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The remarks refer to a sweeping campaign unleashed by Xi with an aim to purge religious faiths of foreign influence and align them more closely with traditional Chinese culture – and the authoritarian rule of the officially atheist Communist Party.—
Nectar Gan,
CNN Money,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descant. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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