descend
6 synonyms and 1 antonym for descend, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To move from a higher place to a lower one; to go down.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use descend
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
descend the stairs
descend into chaos
descend from
Etymology
From Old French descendre, from Latin descendere, "to climb down," from de- + scandere, "to climb."
Full origin of descend →Frequently asked questions
What does “descend” mean?
The word “descend” means to move from a higher place to a lower one; to go down. In plain terms, to go downward, or to trace one's origins back to an ancestor or earlier source.
How do you pronounce “descend”?
“Descend” is pronounced dih-SEHND (/dəˈsɛnd/ in IPA).
How do you use “descend” in a sentence?
Here is “descend” used in a sentence: “They descended the mountain as the storm approached.”
What part of speech is “descend”?
“Descend” is a verb.
Where does the word “descend” come from?
The word “descend” comes from Latin. From Old French descendre, from Latin descendere, "to climb down," from de- + scandere, "to climb.".
Is “descend” a common word?
“Descend” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “descend” have?
“Descend” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to move from a higher place to a lower one; to go down.
