1
as in to speak
to give a formal often extended talk on a subject
an English professor who loves to descant on his beloved Shakespeare
Synonyms & Similar Words
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variants
also discant
1
as in chorus
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in observation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of descant
Jesse Green, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023
Then comes a longer descant of mixed-up work, including bad versions of pop tunes and ambitious attempts at pop epics.
—Adam Gopni, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2021
For seven decades, Katz has been providing a visual descant to the work of the New York School of poets, many of whom were his friends.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2022
Birds provided an intermittent descant to the insect buzz and the drone of a distant tractor.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2022
The Hynde storyline, which includes her messing around with songs on an acoustic guitar, runs as a kind of descant against the personal and professional noise of the Pistols.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022
This is a dark and defensive descant to a more substantial and necessary conversation about whiteness in America.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 3 July 2019
Noun
Bart, too idiosyncratic merely to copy the idiosyncrasies of the movie’s Christopher Lloyd, instead adds a descant of commentary atop them, sometimes seeming to extemporize a different show entirely.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023
Then comes a longer descant of mixed-up work, including bad versions of pop tunes and ambitious attempts at pop epics.
—Adam Gopni, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2021
For seven decades, Katz has been providing a visual descant to the work of the New York School of poets, many of whom were his friends.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2022
Birds provided an intermittent descant to the insect buzz and the drone of a distant tractor.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2022
The Hynde storyline, which includes her messing around with songs on an acoustic guitar, runs as a kind of descant against the personal and professional noise of the Pistols.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2022
This is a dark and defensive descant to a more substantial and necessary conversation about whiteness in America.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 3 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descant
Verb
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On May 1, his AI replica spoke in court, addressing the man convicted of killing him.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
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The Sunset Boulevard star spoke to PEOPLE about the whirlwind past week, from his Tony nomination on Thursday, May 1, to attending the 2025 Met Gala on Monday, May 5, and then the 2025 Tony Awards junket on Thursday, May 8.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
10 May 2025
Verb
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Word of Luton leaking goals had both home and away fans chanting of survival with increasing volume.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
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Accompanied by a synthesized Italian voiceover, the character's name is chanted in a rhythmic nonsensical manner.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
1 May 2025
Noun
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Kimberly Douglas, an Illinois whose 17-year-old son died of an overdose in 2023, credited the growing chorus of grieving mothers.—
Geoff Mulvihill,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2025
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Kimberly Douglas, an Illinois woman whose 17-year-old son died of an overdose in 2023, credited the growing chorus of grieving mothers.—
Mike Stobbe,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
Noun
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His observations are what sets him apart from everybody else.—
Matt Minton,
Variety,
10 May 2025
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Even in the best of times, long-term observations can be very fragile.—
Eric Morgan,
Wired News,
10 May 2025
Verb
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In an extraordinary break between the two allies, Trump lectured Zelensky on his weak position in negotiations and in the war.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
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This resilience makes Zelensky’s bristling at being lectured by Vance on his nation’s sacrifice and peril easier to understand.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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To enable these parts to sing, Acer also built the Triton with its sixth-generation cooling fans, a vapor chamber, and a graphene thermal solution on both the CPU and GPU.—
Matthew Buzzi,
PC Magazine,
16 May 2025
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The Weeknd sang, prompting thunderous applause Jimmy Fallon and The Weeknd are giving the class of 2025 a celebration to remember.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
16 May 2025
Noun
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The service and concert will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, at the church, 815 S. Washington St. Castle Singers are vocalists who perform a variety of chamber repertoire, varying from Renaissance madrigals and motets to contemporary pop and vocal jazz.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
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Her husband, my grandfather, was not only a composer who wrote liturgical music, motets, symphonies, and string quartets but also a beloved music teacher who believed that music was as crucial to the development of the mind as math.—
Stephanie H. Murray,
The Atlantic,
18 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Here’s an overview of what each management team spoke about, along with our take on their remarks.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
14 May 2025
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Knight appeared to call out Combs while attending the Source Awards in August 1995, making critical remarks about a music producer who makes frequent appearances in his artists' songs and music videos, which Combs was known to do.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Descant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descant. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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