1
as in falls
to lead or extend downward
the pathway descends to the river bank
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deteriorates
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 plunges
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 dismounts
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 descends
The situation quickly spirals out of control, and her life descends into chaos.
—
Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
The festive horror centers on Gino, whose traditional Italian family Christmas Eve celebration descends into chaos when his deceased grandmother returns from the dead and embarks on a killing spree.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
As an Earth-orbiting spacecraft descends, temperatures of up to 3,500°F bloom across the heat shield at the bottom of the capsule.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
Pittsburgh will have the 21st pick when a draft that appears to be thin in quality options at quarterback descends on the Steel City in late April.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 24 Jan. 2026
Chicago is all bundled up in its warmest winter wear as a polar vortex descends on the Great Lakes region, bringing subzero temps and biting winds.
—Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
In all six scenarios the team examined, surface material within the top 300 meters descends toward the base of the shell, the new study reports.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2026
San Francisco Travel Association When winter descends, San Francisco transforms into a luminous dreamscape during the Illuminate SF Festival of Light.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
So Close To What falls 5-8 (nearly 40,000, down 2%), Wallen’s One Thing at a Time is down 8-9 (36,000, down less than 1%) and Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend descends 7-10 (33,000, down 12%).
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 18 Jan. 2026
Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
The festive horror centers on Gino, whose traditional Italian family Christmas Eve celebration descends into chaos when his deceased grandmother returns from the dead and embarks on a killing spree.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
As an Earth-orbiting spacecraft descends, temperatures of up to 3,500°F bloom across the heat shield at the bottom of the capsule.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
Pittsburgh will have the 21st pick when a draft that appears to be thin in quality options at quarterback descends on the Steel City in late April.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 24 Jan. 2026
Chicago is all bundled up in its warmest winter wear as a polar vortex descends on the Great Lakes region, bringing subzero temps and biting winds.
—Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
In all six scenarios the team examined, surface material within the top 300 meters descends toward the base of the shell, the new study reports.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2026
San Francisco Travel Association When winter descends, San Francisco transforms into a luminous dreamscape during the Illuminate SF Festival of Light.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
So Close To What falls 5-8 (nearly 40,000, down 2%), Wallen’s One Thing at a Time is down 8-9 (36,000, down less than 1%) and Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend descends 7-10 (33,000, down 12%).
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 18 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descends
Verb
-
Hypothermia is a condition in which the body’s core temperature falls below 95 degrees.—
William Lee,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Cleaning your oven, however, is something that falls within the former category.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Martha Stewart,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Emily Demirdonder, director of operations and marketing at Proximity Plumbing, said the rubber backing deteriorates in hot water and breaks apart during the spin cycle, and those fragments can block drain pumps and drainage pipes—sometimes leading to flooding and machine failure.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Staying at home when weather deteriorates will allow essential personnel to travel more safely to work.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When Heathcliff, a foundling, discovers that Cathy Earnshaw, the daughter of the impoverished Yorkshire lord who’s taken him in, has played a prank on him by putting eggs in his beds to be crushed, the boy plunges his fingers into the slippery puddle of yolk and albumen left behind.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Madelyn Cline is giving all the stylish WAGS who showed up at the 2026 NFL Honors a run for their money thanks to a blue Christopher Esber gown that plunges all the way to her stomach.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The song was inspired by surviving a toxic relationship, and then finding a true-hearted love that crumbles emotional walls.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Academic success means little if a child crumbles under stress.—
Dr. Mona Amin,
CNBC,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The ceremony turns into something reminiscent of the Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake, as the last keg tumbles down a nearby hill and the entire wedding party follows.—
Sarah Whitten,Sara Salinas,Sarah Jackson,Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
8 Feb. 2026
-
And once the first domino falls, the rest of the table tumbles into place around it.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When border agents board during a stop (each with wanted posters of Philip and Elizabeth), Paige disembarks.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In the climax, the yacht docks in Norway, and everyone disembarks.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Doctors monitor progression and severity of the disease by measuring the size of the left ventricle, the heart’s muscle that pumps blood to the body, which shrinks as the condition worsens.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Software stock slide worsens on AI fears US software stocks sank further Tuesday on swelling investor fears that new AI tools will eat their lunch.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Wishing you all a restful weekend and lots of Super Bowl dips.—
Elaine Chen,
STAT,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Unlike hunting for coupons or waiting for a sale at other stores, Costco’s pricing on Boursin tends to stay reliably the same throughout the year—and sometimes the price even dips cheaper.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Descends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descends. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
