1
as in dips
the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude
the airplane began its gradual descent to the landing field
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deteriorations
a change to a lower state or level
the nation's rapid descent into anarchy after the revolution
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in demises
a loss of status
for throwing the game, the ballplayer underwent a huge descent in the eyes of the fans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in incursions
a sudden attack on and entrance into hostile territory
the lightning descent of the invading army on that unsuspecting border town
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in attacks
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
the descent of the voracious locusts on the wheat fields
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in ancestries
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended
a person of Finnish descent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in downhills
a downward slope
on bicycle tours the ascents always seem to outnumber the descents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descents
Vastnaut One includes motors positioned at the knees that help absorb impact as the foot lands, reducing the stress that typically builds up over long descents.
—
New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2026
Plan for dense fog, heavy dew on grassy, sock-soaking paths, and take it easy on eroded descents.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Beyond the basic forward, up, and down movements, the Super Sub can move laterally and make 45-degree descents or sharp turns at depth.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2026
The female athlete starts first, making two ascents, two descents and one section on foot.
—Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
The relay course is slightly bigger and involves two accents and two descents per lap.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
When other resorts are battling bumps or bare spots, Baldy’s corduroy often remains impeccable, rewarding skiers and snowboarders who love speed, precision, and long, uninterrupted descents.
—Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2026
Occasional descents into all-out war are a clear and present danger.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Beyond the dazzling jumps, daring descents and photo finishes lie lives shaped by sacrifice and sheer determination.
—Ashlee Conour, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2026
Plan for dense fog, heavy dew on grassy, sock-soaking paths, and take it easy on eroded descents.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Beyond the basic forward, up, and down movements, the Super Sub can move laterally and make 45-degree descents or sharp turns at depth.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2026
The female athlete starts first, making two ascents, two descents and one section on foot.
—Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
The relay course is slightly bigger and involves two accents and two descents per lap.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
When other resorts are battling bumps or bare spots, Baldy’s corduroy often remains impeccable, rewarding skiers and snowboarders who love speed, precision, and long, uninterrupted descents.
—Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2026
Occasional descents into all-out war are a clear and present danger.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Beyond the dazzling jumps, daring descents and photo finishes lie lives shaped by sacrifice and sheer determination.
—Ashlee Conour, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descents
Noun
-
While many media streaming sticks can work to some extent when plugged into a TV's USB port, their performance isn’t reliable and can be prone to crashes and reboots due to power dips.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The product design for the pull-on skinny and flare denim sought to tackle frequent fit issues women have with jeans—such as waist gaps and hip dips—with waist-smoothing paneling and padding and contour seaming to lift and round wearers’ hips.—
Sarah Jones,
Footwear News,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Similar deteriorations took place in Tuscany and in Naples.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
No reason was provided for the shops’ demises.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Nov. 2025
-
The mission, the fourth of 2025, would also be Starship's first flight since May 27 amid a year plagued by explosive demises for the vehicle.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Russian drone incursions last year prompted Poland to formally invoke NATO's Article 4, which initiates official consultations among allies regarding a direct security threat.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
In the past year there have been 12 drone incursions at New York State prisons, including in March when a drone dropped contraband into the yard of a correctional facility.—
Pat Ryan,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Remember, Congress was given the power in the Constitution to formally declare war, and AUMFs were drawn up after the 9/11 attacks and Congress at that time passed an authorization for use of military force.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
Residents of the usually picturesque Russian resort town of Tuapse were this week warned not to leave the homes or open windows as authorities tackled intense fires from a series of Ukrainian drone attacks on the town’s oil refinery.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Eastern and western ancestries in Karelian Mesolithic dogs suggest that two lineages diverged during the Paleolithic.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
-
That drops to 49% for Hispanic/Latino patients, 29% for Black patients and even lower for mixed ancestries, the NMDP reports.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The World Cup continues with two downhills and a super-G in Italy next weekend.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Mar. 2026
-
The prospect of Shiffrin pairing with Lindsey Vonn, who’s excelled in the downhills this season, to fight for USA gold surely has NBC execs salivating.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
When online is treated as a distribution channel rather than a learning system, persistence drops, and skepticism rises.—
Ian Gibson,
Mercury News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
When cleaning homes with lingering pet odors, Parekh recommends applying a few drops of enzyme cleaner to the pad rather than relying solely on the Swiffer solution.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Descents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descents. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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