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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Relevance
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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 assault
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
According to the Schomburg Center, Schomburg was inspired at a young age to learn about and document the accomplishments of people of African descent after a teacher told him such achievements did not exist.
—
Noelle Lilley, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Her mother is of Irish descent, while her father is of African American and Afro-Venezuelan descent.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 6 Feb. 2026
The Canadian-British designer of Korean descent bases the operations of her fashion label in London, following a pattern the Princess of Wales has developed of supporting British brands over the years.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 5 Feb. 2026
The 430-kilogram descent stage crashed nearby.
—Ilya Ferapontov, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for descent
Noelle Lilley, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Her mother is of Irish descent, while her father is of African American and Afro-Venezuelan descent.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 6 Feb. 2026
The Canadian-British designer of Korean descent bases the operations of her fashion label in London, following a pattern the Princess of Wales has developed of supporting British brands over the years.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 5 Feb. 2026
The 430-kilogram descent stage crashed nearby.
—Ilya Ferapontov, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for descent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descent
Noun
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But gold prices have been extraordinary volatile, smashing through record highs before posting their biggest single-day drop on record last month.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Sharp drops hit Wall Street on Thursday as technology stocks fell and bitcoin plunged again to roughly half its record price set last fall.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The report identifies three massive, offsetting policy developments as the primary drivers of this fiscal deterioration.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
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The complaint includes several photographs of deterioration and hazards.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But Puerto Rico’s rapid growth has also raised concerns about sustainability, environmental degradation and cultural erosion.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
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Water-soluble chlorophyll, which gives broccoli its signature color, is vulnerable to degradation during prolonged cooking or boiling.—
Anne Wolf,
Martha Stewart,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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McDonald died of a heart attack in 2017, with the city’s medical examiner ruling his death a homicide, stating his demise was caused by complications from the 1986 shooting.—
Barry Williams,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
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In a league where everyone is constantly predicting the demise of the running back position, Walker is proof that the old ways still work.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The footage starts by referencing the fiery climax of the 2019 original, in which Pitt's stuntman Cliff Booth and Leonardo DiCaprio's Rick Dalton battled followers of Charles Manson during a home invasion.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
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In the first weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a strange pattern emerged in Western media coverage.—
Charles Edward Gehrke,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Both Beijing and Hong Kong’s government have repeatedly rejected international criticism of Lai’s prosecution and dismissed accusations that his jailing was politically motivated or an assault on press freedom.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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Another 43,000 arrestees are listed as having assault charges or convictions.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The story, which Adeyemi got the idea for while on a trip to Brazil, became a way to explore her Nigerian-American ancestry.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
3 Feb. 2026
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Shaboozey, clad in jeans, a black waistcoat and hat, continued to speak candidly about his ancestry.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Sofia Goggia, the beloved 33-year-old Italian skier, lost control on a turn during the downhill leg and recorded a DNF.—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
10 Feb. 2026
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Mikaela Shiffrin struggles in the slalom portion of the event after teammate Breezy Johnson finishes first in the downhill.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Descent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descent. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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