1
as in to fall
to lead or extend downward
the pathway descends to the river bank
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descend
In the third act, the film descends into darkness once again.
—
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 13 Feb. 2025
In 20 minutes, the craft descended into Monterey Bay.
—Sarah Holzmann, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025
After a loud beep, one steps onto a metal plate as a set of white tubes descends onto her teats.
—Colette Davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Feb. 2025
Officials in the South Bay opened emergency warming shelters Saturday evening as cold temperatures descended on the region.
—Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descend
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 13 Feb. 2025
In 20 minutes, the craft descended into Monterey Bay.
—Sarah Holzmann, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025
After a loud beep, one steps onto a metal plate as a set of white tubes descends onto her teats.
—Colette Davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Feb. 2025
Officials in the South Bay opened emergency warming shelters Saturday evening as cold temperatures descended on the region.
—Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descend
Verb
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Vaccination Rates As reported by the CDC, the measles vaccination rate among children in kindergarten nationally has fallen since 2019, from approximately 95 percent of children receiving a two-dose MMR coverage to 92.7 percent.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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Although platforms can rise and fall faster than the tiny-eyeglasses fashion trend, the principles of good marketing stand the test of time.—
Renae Gregoire,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Read: The chaos in higher ed is only getting started The situation could deteriorate if current doctoral students start jumping ship.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2025
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Nearby, at the corner of Jefferson and Washington streets, a deteriorating, 1920s apartment building is slated to be incorporated into an $80 million medical office building.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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For the premiere of the Netflix comedy series on Feb. 13, Eram styled Hudson in a shimmering gold Roberto Cavalli couture gown with a flowing train and plunging neckline.—
Julia Teti,
WWD,
27 Feb. 2025
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In fact, Russia appears to be pushing Iran toward diplomacy for fear of losing a key partner to a potential wider war that would plunge the region into even deeper chaos and further hamper Russian interests.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Considered one of the best bull riders of all time, Lane Frost was tragically killed in 1989 at the age of 25 after dismounting a bull at Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes,
11 Dec. 2024
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The initial assaults over the weekend involved dismounted infantry walking in neat lines across snowy fields without much apparent support from artillery or aircraft.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Another warning for toddler parents: Keep in mind that some toddler beds have higher sides that slope down, creating an opening in the middle.—
Shoko Wanger,
Architectural Digest,
12 Feb. 2025
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But the West isn’t shaped like the central United States, which slopes gently southward.—
Robert Greene,
The Mercury News,
1 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The show from Sister and Universal International Studios is set in a near-future Margate, against a backdrop of soaring inequality, as Chance discovers life and love while being forced to fight for her family and friends’ survival in a world that’s crumbling around her.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2025
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Typically under him, Newcastle are not a team that crumbles after conceding.—
Liam Tharme,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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At the same time, recently released federal data shows that fourth and eighth graders' literacy skills haven't recovered since before the COVID-19 pandemic and dipped once again on the U.S. Department of Education's National Assessment of Educational Progress.—
Kayla Jimenez,
USA TODAY,
23 Feb. 2025
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The kid-friendly film, which dipped 40% from the weekend prior, has amassed $78.7 million domestically and $104 million globally.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In Turkey and the Middle East, the birds crop up in folklore as heralds of spring, guides for pilgrims, and the first creatures, along with two doves, to disembark from Noah’s ark.—
Nick Paumgarten,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
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Barcelona followed suit and also got permission from local authorities to close a terminal to curb the amount of cruise traffic caused by visitors disembarking.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
23 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descend. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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