1
as in drop
the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude
the airplane began its gradual descent to the landing field
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2
as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
the family patriarch's heartbreaking descent into infirmity and senility
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3
as in degradation
a change to a lower state or level
the nation's rapid descent into anarchy after the revolution
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4
as in demise
a loss of status
for throwing the game, the ballplayer underwent a huge descent in the eyes of the fans
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5
as in invasion
a sudden attack on and entrance into hostile territory
the lightning descent of the invading army on that unsuspecting border town
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6
as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
the descent of the voracious locusts on the wheat fields
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7
as in ancestry
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended
a person of Finnish descent
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8
as in downhill
a downward slope
on bicycle tours the ascents always seem to outnumber the descents
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descent
But the character description intrigued Lee, a Korean-American actor, because the role was written as a character of Korean descent.
—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2025
His father, an attorney of Irish immigrant descent, worked tirelessly while his mother managed their household of six children with the same dedication.
—Omaid Homayun, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
The veteran actor recently spoke about a questionable chapter in his dating history that consisted of some overlap within his line of descent.
—Regina Cho, VIBE.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Now, under iure sanguinis aka citizenship by descent, only those who have an Italian grandparent or parent will be able to claim citizenship.
—Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descent
Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2025
His father, an attorney of Irish immigrant descent, worked tirelessly while his mother managed their household of six children with the same dedication.
—Omaid Homayun, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
The veteran actor recently spoke about a questionable chapter in his dating history that consisted of some overlap within his line of descent.
—Regina Cho, VIBE.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Now, under iure sanguinis aka citizenship by descent, only those who have an Italian grandparent or parent will be able to claim citizenship.
—Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descent
Noun
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That was the sharpest drop except for that seen at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
-
That also contributes to Alpha Direct's allure—many of the small companies that make these layers only make them in small drops.—
Scott Gilbertson,
Wired News,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Submersible visits over the years have shown an increase in its deterioration, with rust and microorganisms eating away at the ship's metal. Dives over more than a decade have shown the ship is falling apart.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2025
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That could mean that rate cuts are pushed off until much later this year or even delayed until next year if that deterioration takes time to materialize.—
Colby Smith,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This is, in part, about the degradation, devaluation, and replacement of writers.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Soil degradation, water scarcity, and climate volatility have become immediate operational threats.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The tragic demise of Hamlet and Ophelia, driven by revenge and resulting in a watery end, were echoed by the death of two characters.—
Audrey Gibbs,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
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The true result of a declining dollar will be the demise of the very economic power Trump is attempting to wield.—
Edward Fishman,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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With autonomous, always-active agents, the risk of privacy invasion becomes even greater.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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But since Hamas' October 7 attack and Israel's retaliatory invasion of Gaza, a new player in that conflict threatens not just digital infrastructure in Israel but also critical systems in the US and around the world.—
Andy Greenberg,
Wired News,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In March, two days of U.S. attacks killed more than 50 people, Houthi officials said.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The company highlights one type of attack that is now targeting users and which is especially dangerous.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Customers send vials of their saliva to 23andMe for results on ancestry and health.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2025
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In Kevin Nguyen’s gripping novel, the U.S. government sets up internment camps for citizens of Vietnamese ancestry following a wave of terrorist attacks.—
Meg Zukin,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Except for March 22 when high winds caused the cancellation of the men’s and women’s downhill races, the 5850 Fest went off without a hitch.—
Kristin L. Wolfe,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Some of them are physical, downhill runners, and some of them are guys who can take a misdirection, scissors-type run and go the other direction with it.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descent. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
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