1
as in to speak
to give a formal often extended talk on a subject
an English professor who loves to descant on his beloved Shakespeare
Synonyms & Similar Words
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variants
also discant
1
as in chorus
Related Words
2
as in observation
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descant
Jesse Green, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023
Then comes a longer descant of mixed-up work, including bad versions of pop tunes and ambitious attempts at pop epics.
—Adam Gopni, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2021
For seven decades, Katz has been providing a visual descant to the work of the New York School of poets, many of whom were his friends.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2022
Birds provided an intermittent descant to the insect buzz and the drone of a distant tractor.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2022
The Hynde storyline, which includes her messing around with songs on an acoustic guitar, runs as a kind of descant against the personal and professional noise of the Pistols.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022
This is a dark and defensive descant to a more substantial and necessary conversation about whiteness in America.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 3 July 2019
Verb
Bart, too idiosyncratic merely to copy the idiosyncrasies of the movie’s Christopher Lloyd, instead adds a descant of commentary atop them, sometimes seeming to extemporize a different show entirely.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023
Then comes a longer descant of mixed-up work, including bad versions of pop tunes and ambitious attempts at pop epics.
—Adam Gopni, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2021
For seven decades, Katz has been providing a visual descant to the work of the New York School of poets, many of whom were his friends.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2022
Birds provided an intermittent descant to the insect buzz and the drone of a distant tractor.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2022
The Hynde storyline, which includes her messing around with songs on an acoustic guitar, runs as a kind of descant against the personal and professional noise of the Pistols.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022
This is a dark and defensive descant to a more substantial and necessary conversation about whiteness in America.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 3 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descant
Verb
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Georgia coach Kirby Smart and Texas coach Steve Sarkisian spoke earlier that day in Atlanta’s College Football Hall of Fame about their recruiting philosophies in the age of player revenue sharing and schools allocating a big chunk of that $20.5 million to football.—
Marc Weiszer,
The Tennessean,
22 July 2025
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Parents spoke with Margolin and Gallant to get the exclusive details on their new venture to change the toddler game through play.—
Liz Regalia,
Parents,
21 July 2025
Verb
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Programs run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and include various traditions of yoga, meditation, Raag therapy, fitness sessions chanting, and music offerings—to name just a few.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
28 July 2025
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With two outs, the Angels needed a hit, and Neto was at the plate as the fans chanted his name.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
26 July 2025
Noun
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The 28 songs that Gaga, her dancers and band performed Tuesday night come at you with big choruses, soaring melodies, catchy hooks, fun strings of nonsense syllables and her signature deployment of eclectic styles — disco, glam rock, ’80s boogie, house, heavy metal and Daft Punk.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
24 July 2025
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But most striking about the song is its bridge, a glorious chorus of synths that dovetails into piano and strings before thumping back into head-nodding bliss.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
Noun
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Capital One Financial’s Historical Odds of a Positive Post-Earnings Return Here are some observations regarding one-day (1D) post-earnings returns: Over the last five years, there are 20 earnings data points recorded, with 15 positive and 5 negative one-day (1D) returns noted.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
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Good data on the Earth's rotation goes back thousands of years, thanks to observations of solar eclipses in China.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
22 July 2025
Verb
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The type of boy to break up fights at school and lecture his fellow classmates, Steeno added.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
9 July 2025
-
The designer published his autobiography, continued to lecture about fashion.—
Laird Borrelli-Persson,
Vogue,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Electrified by the crowd of dedicated fans who sang nearly every lyric back to them, All Time Low found the answer to the question hanging over them.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
14 July 2025
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Much to the delight of the crowd, Wonder sang his iconic hit Happy Birthday to his 13-year-old daughter Zaiah Morris, which prompted a mass singalong, creating a moment of pure joy in Hyde Park.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
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Latin polyphony and motets are being sung at the Offertory and during the distribution of Holy Communion.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 June 2025
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The service and concert will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, at the church, 815 S. Washington St. Castle Singers are vocalists who perform a variety of chamber repertoire, varying from Renaissance madrigals and motets to contemporary pop and vocal jazz.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The actress and Loose Women panelist made the blunt remarks during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Thursday, when Cohen asked her about Swift's Tortured Poets Department album.—
Lauren Huff Published,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
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Standing alongside President Donald Trump, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell rebuked the president over his remarks about an extensive renovation project on two Fed buildings.—
Anna Commander
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descant. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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