1
as in to fall
to lead or extend downward
the pathway descends to the river bank
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the order of the classroom descended into chaos when the teacher left the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to plunge
to go to a lower level especially abruptly
leaves slowly descended from the branches in the gentle autumn wind wait for the elevator to descend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to dismount
to come down from something (as a vehicle)
the driver descended from the truck's cab, dreading to see what he had hit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 descend
Zelenskyy's last visit to the White House, on Feb. 28, descended into a heated dispute between the Ukrainian leader and Trump with the cameras rolling.
—
Greg Myre, NPR, 17 Aug. 2025
Hundreds of National Guardsmen descended on the nation’s capital Monday followed by an additional deployment of soldiers from West Virginia on Saturday.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 16 Aug. 2025
Starting Monday, thousands of health-care executives will descend on Epic’s corporate headquarters for the company’s Users Group Meeting, one of its largest annual on-campus events.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2025
Every August, more than a million people descend on Des Moines, Iowa, for one of the most iconic celebrations of agriculture, tradition and Americana: the Iowa State Fair.
—Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descend
Greg Myre, NPR, 17 Aug. 2025
Hundreds of National Guardsmen descended on the nation’s capital Monday followed by an additional deployment of soldiers from West Virginia on Saturday.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 16 Aug. 2025
Starting Monday, thousands of health-care executives will descend on Epic’s corporate headquarters for the company’s Users Group Meeting, one of its largest annual on-campus events.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2025
Every August, more than a million people descend on Des Moines, Iowa, for one of the most iconic celebrations of agriculture, tradition and Americana: the Iowa State Fair.
—Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descend
Verb
-
But, if wages don’t rise to match those jumps, consumer spending could fall and slow the economy.—
Raul Elizalde,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
For months, however, the proposal has been in limbo as gang violence surges, more neighborhoods fall and the country sets a new record, 1.3 million, for the number of people displaced by the violence.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But this week, the situation in Donetsk has rapidly deteriorated, with Russian forces making important advances to the north east of Dobropilia, altering control of the area Witkoff has been discussing with the Kremlin.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
14 Aug. 2025
-
But after the Sriracha-maker callously withheld payments from Underwood, the relationship deteriorated and litigation followed.—
Kate Vitasek,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Filmed on 16mm Kodak Ektachrome across a non-stop 45 day shoot, Petersen expands her exploration of mysticism and disappearance in southernmost Argentina – plunging head-first into a father-daughter relationship upended in the sleepy mountains of Tierra del Fuego.—
Jason Liwag,
Variety,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The eviction notice has plunged his future into uncertainty.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But editorial indulgence has resulted in such a sludge of footnotes and block quotes that the eye must often dismount and continue on foot.—
Book Marks
August 7,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
-
For instance, people on bicycles or skateboards may be asked to dismount and walk down the ramp into Buccaneer Park.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
It’s best explored by taking the cable car up the steep cliffs and wandering down the winding, sloping streets.—
Mark Lakin,
Travel + Leisure,
9 July 2025
-
Oakmont is famous for its fast, sloping greens and thick rough, factors that have historically challenged even the best players.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
Verb
-
Ignoring that second part, Irakli contacts Lisa’s editor and discovers that her as-yet-unfinished assignment is a photo essay on the crumbling football pitches of rural Georgia.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
17 Aug. 2025
-
Also getting a major glow-up in the remaining four episodes is a large, crumbling Victorian in the northern part of Detroit's Corktown neighborhood.—
Julie Hinds,
Freep.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
June 23-16: Trump’s approval rating dipped one point, to 41%, in a Reuters/Ipsos survey of 1,139 U.S. adults taken June 21-23 from its June 11-16 survey, with 57% disapproving (the latest poll has a 3-point margin of error).—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Adults and kids alike dipped in the Atlantic and a tiki hut boat served shoreside lobster rolls and hot dogs.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
This floating platform features a lounge bar and event space that moves between decks up to as high as the 13th floor, and also serves as a tender platform, revolutionizing the process of passengers boarding and disembarking the ship with ease, including those with wheelchairs.—
Michele Robson,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
The day before the president hosted Barkley and his teammates on the South Lawn of the White House for a celebration ceremony, the star running back was spotted disembarking Marine One at Morristown Municipal Airport in New Jersey.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
10 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descend. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share