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Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
descend (verb)
intransitive verb
1.
to pass from a higher place or level to a lower one - descended from the platform
2.
to pass in discussion from what is logically prior or more comprehensive
3.
a) to originate or come from an ancestral stock or source - derive descends from an old merchant family
b) to pass by inheritance - a desk that has descended in the family
c) to pass by transmission - songs descended from old ballads
4.
to incline, lead, or extend downward - the road descends to the river
5.
a) to swoop or pounce down (as in a sudden attack)
b) to appear suddenly and often disconcertingly as if from above - reporters descended on the candidate
6.
to proceed in a sequence or gradation from higher to lower or from more remote to nearer or more recent
7.
a) to lower oneself in status or dignity - stoop
transitive verb
b) to worsen and sink in condition or estimation
1.
to pass, move, or climb down or down along
2.
to extend down along
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
descend (verb)
1.
to lead or extend downward
SYNONIMS:
decline, dip, drop, fall, plunge, sink
RELATED WORDS:
angle, cant, cock, heel, incline, lean, list, recline, slant, slope, tilt, tip
NEAR ANTONYMS:
even, flatten, level, plane, smooth, straighten
arise, ascend, climb, mount, rise, uprise, upsweep, upturn
descend (verb)
2.
to become worse or of less value
SYNONIMS:
atrophy, crumble, decay, decline, degenerate, descend, devolve, ebb, regress, retrograde, rot, sink, worsen
RELATED WORDS:
abate, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, recede, wane; break down, corrupt, decompose, degrade, dilapidate, disintegrate, molder, putrefy; sour, spoil; lessen, lower, reduce; debilitate, undermine; droop, fail, fall, flag, lag, languish, run down, sag, slip, waste (away), weaken, wilt
NEAR ANTONYMS:
better, upgrade; enhance, enrich, fortify, heighten, intensify, strengthen; advance, develop, march, proceed, progress
ameliorate, improve, meliorate
descend (verb)
3.
to go to a lower level especially abruptly
SYNONIMS:
crash, crater, decline, descend, dip, dive, fall, lower, nose-dive, plummet, plunge, sink, skid, tumble
RELATED WORDS:
abate, decrease, de-escalate, die (down), diminish, droop, dwindle, ebb, lessen, let up, moderate, subside, taper off, wane; recede, retreat
NEAR ANTONYMS:
accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon ( bourgeon), enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mushroom, pick up, snowball, swell, wax
arise, ascend, lift, mount, rise, soar, spike, up
descend (verb)
4.
to come down from something (as a vehicle)
SYNONIMS:
descend, disembark, dismount, get down, light
RELATED WORDS:
deplane, detrain
NEAR ANTONYMS:
board, climb (aboard), get in, mount; enplane ( emplane), entrain
embark
descend (verb)
to take sudden, violent action against
SYNONIMS:
assail, assault, beset, bushwhack, charge, descend (on upon), go in (on), jump (on), pounce (on upon), raid, rush, set on, sic ( sick), storm, strike, trash, turn (on)
RELATED WORDS:
bum-rush, gang up (on), mob, swarm; mug, rob; ambuscade, ambush, surprise ( surprize), waylay; blitz, bomb, bombard, nuke; barrage, cannon, cannonade; bang away (at), batter, buffet, plaster; beleaguer, besiege, press; harry, loot, pillage, plunder, ravage, sack; foray, invade, overrun; envelop, flank
NEAR ANTONYMS:
cover, defend, guard, protect, secure, shield

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