Descending
/dɪˈsɛndɪŋ/
Definitions
2 meaningsMoving or sloping downwards.
/dɪˈsɛndɪŋ/
Moving or going down; falling or sloping downward.
The airplane was descending for landing.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're on a slide at the playground. Descending is like sliding *down* to the bottom! Maybe you're going *down* a mountain, a flight of stairs or even getting *lower* in position.
👶 For kids: Going down, like a slide!
More Examples
We watched the kite descending gracefully.
The stock market is descending, and the prices are going down.
How It's Used
"The descending phase of a cooling curve."
"Descending the stairs carefully."
Describing something that is moving, sloping, or being arranged downwards.
/dɪˈsɛndɪŋ/
Moving or going down, or relating to a downward movement.
The descending order of the numbers was from 10 to 1.
💡 Simply: If you're talking about things getting lower, like numbers from largest to smallest. It is like writing from the top of your paper to the bottom.
👶 For kids: Going down, like a slide!
More Examples
A descending slope made the bike ride faster.
The song had a beautiful descending melody.
How It's Used
"A descending musical scale."
"Arranging numbers in descending order."
Idioms & expressions
descending order
Arranging items from largest to smallest or from highest to lowest.
"Please arrange these numbers in descending order."
descend into chaos
To gradually get worse and become chaotic.
"The country seemed to descend into chaos after the coup."
From Latin *descendere* 'to climb down, descend', from *de-* 'down' + *scandere* 'to climb'.
The word has been used since the 14th century, initially referring to physical downward movement, and later extended to abstract concepts.
Memory tip
Think of a rollercoaster, always going *down*!
Word Origin
"to climb down, descend"