DESCENDING Synonyms: 171 Similar and Opposite Words

descending 1 of 2

adjective

as in bowing

bending downward or forward with descending heads the mourners made their way to the burial site

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descending

2 of 2

verb

present participle of descend

as in falling

to lead or extend downward the pathway descends to the river bank

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as in deteriorating

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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as in plunging

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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as in dismounting

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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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 descending

Adjective

The three-part framework is, at its core, a descending order of difficulty and an ascending order of effectiveness. — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 For the most part, most of them wore gowns that could fit through the revolving door at the Hotel Du Cap onto the grand descending stairway, read few came close to rivaling Skye Hankey’s boa yellow dress last year which provided an elegant challenge for exits and entrances. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 22 May 2026 Then, the repetitive descending melody is interrupted and restarts; in this musical rupture the trance is broken. — Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026

Verb

After descending in a metal cage elevator, Riff Raff removes his cape, revealing Frank-N-Furter in a corset, fishnets and pearls. — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026 Dropping off the ridges into the canyons was like descending into a furnace. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Video captured by a beachgoer shows the aircraft descending low over the busy Boca Raton beach before gently landing on the ocean’s surface. — Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026 But after descending into the genre for the series and then returning for its sudden ending, Brown can’t exactly blame those hesitant to do the same. — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 Once inside, visitors can experience a double-helix layout, where two counter-rotating staircases provide different routes for those going up to the top and those descending. — New Atlas, 21 Aug. 2026 Fully unrolled, the canvas was the size of the cargo container, looking like a dust storm descending over a desert town. — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026 Because descending stairs is a demanding braking task, many people start to notice achy knees on their way down. — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026 Bleacherites were bracing for the descending ball as a souvenir when the wind blew the ball back into the field of play, where Billy Williams caught it for the out. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for descending

Adjective

James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.

— Aylin Woodward, WSJ, 21 Dec. 2021

Definition of nodding

Verb

In its place is a head of dark, longer hair parted down the middle, with loose curtain bangs falling across his forehead and framing his face.

— Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026
Oil prices have extended recent losses in response to the statement, with international benchmark Brent crude falling below the $90 per barrel mark overnight.

— Mike Sheen,Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of falling

Verb

Venezuela's industry has suffered from decades of underinvestment, deteriorating infrastructure and the loss of technical expertise.

— Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
The woods surrounding the cottage also needed work to remove trash, deteriorating hunting structures and invasive species, the letter said.

— John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of deteriorating

Verb

Sydney Sweeney exposed her plunging bralette in a tiny cropped T-shirt.

— Meg Walters, InStyle, 31 Aug. 2026
The sleeveless dress, designed by Carolina Herrera creative director Wes Gordon as part of the fashion house's pre-fall 2026 collection, featured a plunging halter neckline, fitted ruched bodice and full midi-length skirt.

— Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of plunging

Verb

The popular halftime performer known as Red Panda finished her signature seven-minute set, looked up at a crowd of fans chanting her name and flashed a smile before dismounting.

— Alanis Thames, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
The woman told investigators Herzing had made similar threats in July, which resulted in the victim suffering minor scrapes after dismounting at a stoplight.

— Lauren Breunig, Twin Cities, 2 Dec. 2025

Definition of dismounting

Adjective

And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.

— David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.

— Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021

Definition of weeping

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 sloping

Verb

On a nearby section of the coast, crews have been placing rock to shore up a crumbling coastline and keep nearby trains running.

— Robert Gauthier, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
When a team is crumbling, a rare sturdy presence becomes much more than an afterthought.

— Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026