descend

verb

di-ˈsend How to pronounce descend (audio)
Definition of descendnext
1
as in to fall
to lead or extend downward the pathway descends to the river bank

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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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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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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

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 Mayday goes on too long and veers into nonsensical directions, with one episode depicting the pair breaking into a Soviet official’s home that descends into bedroom farce. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 It’s designed to be a celebratory moment before mayhem descends. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 Maxton Hall has set viewing records for Prime Video with fans descending on the set of the show in the wake of its success. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026 At the Trishuli-3 Hydropower Project, crews were working to descend about 15 meters (50 feet) into the tunnel in an effort to reach those believed trapped inside, according to Basnet, the army spokesperson. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for descend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descend
  1. fall
  2. deteriorate
  3. plunge
  4. dismount
  5. slope
  6. crumble
  7. dip
  8. disembark
Verb
  • The share of mid-cap companies in that has increased to 20% from 14% while that of 100 large-cap companies has fallen from 78% to 72%, the report showed.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The company says its reactor’s electrical output falls within the range of a high-performance vehicle drivetrain.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of fall
Verb
  • Behrouz Mehri | Afp | Getty Images France's deteriorating public finances and political deadlock are becoming a growing concern for bond investors, with borrowing costs near financial-crisis-era highs as another difficult budget battle looms.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Israel has seen its own relations with Turkey deteriorate during Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s more than two-decade rule.
    — Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of deteriorate
Verb
  • The California utility’s stock dropped another 7% after plunging 20% Monday.
    — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • In the same time, shootings plunged 48%, robberies 35% and car thefts 20% — and those levels have generally improved or held this year.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of plunge
Verb
  • Buck has long since dismounted from his high horse, but people who live in glass houses that are also occupied by Mike Darnell should probably be a bit more judicious when hucking rocks.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Governing bodies in neighboring San Ramon, San Anselmo in Marin County, and Burlingame in San Mateo County have adopted similar policies requiring people to dismount e-bikes when traveling through public parks.
    — Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of dismount
Verb
  • The resulting low-slung structure is clad in understated materials, with a sloping bronze-colored roof, stone chimney, expansive glazing, and teak siding.
    — David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The Weekly Pattern Turning to the weekly chart, RRC has been trading in an upward-sloping channel going back to late 2022.
    — Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of slope
Verb
  • The tram no longer goes to this part of town, and the street itself is slowly gone, the asphalt crumbling into dust.
    — Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In a dystopian world of desperation and war, small glimmers of hope keep society from crumbling completely.
    — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of crumble
Verb
  • In 2025-26, his first full season as hockey operations adviser and mentor, Chára dipped his toe into multiple buckets, including management and coaching.
    — Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The five new finds below all come in at under $5 apiece, a low-stakes way to dip your toes into fall flavors without spending much.
    — Danielle Bouchard, Martha Stewart, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of dip
Verb
  • Reuters reported that five migrants who refused to disembark after arriving in Monrovia were flown instead to Equatorial Guinea in Central Africa, where they are held with more than 30 other migrants previously sent there by the US.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Other ships may arrive at the same time, so areas can be crowded as thousands of passengers disembark.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of disembark

Phrases Containing descend

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descants
descend
descendant
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Cite this Entry

“Descend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descend. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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