Descent vs. Descend — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 8, 2024
Descent refers to the action of moving downward, while descend is the verb form meaning to go or come down.
Difference Between Descent and Descend
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Descent is a noun that denotes the act of moving from a higher to a lower position, often used in the context of lineage or physical movement. On the other hand, descend is a verb that describes the action of moving downward, whether it be in physical space, status, or quality.
In genealogy, descent refers to lineage or ancestry, highlighting a person's background or heritage. Whereas, descend can be used in a broader context, such as "descend from nobility," indicating a lineage or heritage, but it primarily focuses on the action or process of inheritance or emanation.
Descent is also used in technical contexts, such as aviation and mountaineering, to describe the process of moving downwards towards the earth's surface. In contrast, descend is the action performed by a person or object in the process of descent, such as "The airplane began to descend."
In literature and storytelling, descent often symbolizes a journey into the unknown or a decline into a lower state of being, as in "a descent into madness." Meanwhile, descend can depict a physical movement in a narrative, like a character descending a staircase, or metaphorically, as in "darkness descends upon the land."
The term descent can encapsulate broader themes and concepts, including moral, social, or economic decline, as in "the descent into poverty." Descend, by its nature as a verb, tends to focus on the moment or action of moving down or deteriorating, without necessarily encompassing the broader implications or outcomes of that action.
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Noun
Verb
Meaning
The act of moving downward; lineage or ancestry
To go or come down
Use in Context
Refers to movement, lineage, or decline
Describes the action of moving down
Example
"The plane's descent was smooth."
"The hiker began to descend the mountain."
Symbolism
Can symbolize a journey or decline
Focuses on the action or moment of moving down
Compare with Definitions
Descent
Decline.
The company's rapid descent into bankruptcy shocked the industry.
Descend
To Move Towards a Worse State.
The discussion quickly descended into an argument.
Descent
Moral/Social Decline.
The novel explores the protagonist's descent into madness.
Descend
To Come Down from Ancestors.
She descends from an ancient royal family.
Descent
Movement Downward.
The descent of the elevator was quick and smooth.
Descend
To Lower in Rank or Status.
The once-great empire began to descend into chaos.
Descent
Ancestry.
Her descent from a long line of artists influenced her work.
Descend
To Go Down.
We watched the sun descend below the horizon.
Descent
Landing Approach.
The pilot announced the start of our descent into Chicago.
Descend
To Arrive or Attack Suddenly.
The locusts descend upon the fields every seven years.
Descent
An act of moving downwards, dropping, or falling
The plane had gone into a steep descent
Descend
To move from a higher to a lower place; come or go down.
Descent
The origin or background of a person in terms of family or nationality
The settlers were of Cornish descent
Descend
To slope, extend, or incline downward
"A rough path descended like a steep stair into the plain" (J.R.R. Tolkien).
Descent
A sudden violent attack
A descent on the Channel ports
Descend
To be related by genetic descent from an individual or individuals in a previous generation
He descends from Norwegian immigrants.
Descent
The act or an instance of descending
The slow descent of the scuba divers.
Descend
To come down from a source; derive
A tradition descending from colonial days.
Descent
A way down
Fashioned a descent with an ice axe.
Descend
To pass by inheritance
The house has descended through four generations.
Descent
A downward incline or passage; a slope
Watched the stones roll down the descent.
Descend
To lower oneself; stoop
"She, the conqueror, had descended to the level of the conquered" (James Bryce).
Descent
Hereditary derivation; lineage
A person of African descent.
Descend
To proceed or progress downward, as in rank, pitch, or scale
Titles listed in descending order of importance.
Notes that descended to the lower register.
Descent
The fact or process of being derived or developing from a source
A paper tracing the descent of the novel from old picaresque tales.
Descend
To arrive or attack in a sudden or overwhelming manner
Summer tourists descending on the seashore village.
Descent
(Law) Transmission of property, especially real estate, to a hereditary heir by an intestate owner.
Descend
To move from a higher to lower part of; go down
I descended the staircase into the basement.
Descent
A lowering or decline, as in status or level
Her career went into a rapid descent after the charges of misconduct.
Descend
To extend or proceed downward along
A road that descended the mountain in sharp curves.
Descent
A sudden visit or attack; an onslaught
The descent of the marauders on the settlement.
Descend
(intransitive) To pass from a higher to a lower place; to move downwards; to come or go down in any way, for example by falling, flowing, walking, climbing etc.
Descent
An instance of descending; act of coming down.
We climbed the mountain with difficulty, but the descent was easier.
Descend
To enter mentally; to retire.
Descent
A way down.
We had difficulty in finding the correct descent.
Descend
To make an attack, or incursion, as if from a vantage ground; to come suddenly and with violence.
And on the suitors let thy wrath descend.
Descent
A sloping passage or incline.
The descent into the cavern was wet and slippery.
Descend
(intransitive) To come down to a lower, less fortunate, humbler, less virtuous, or worse, state or rank; to lower or abase oneself
He descended from his high estate.
Descent
Lineage or hereditary derivation.
Our guide was of Welsh descent.
Descend
(intransitive) To pass from the more general or important to the specific or less important matters to be considered.
Descent
A drop to a lower status or condition; decline. en
After that, the holiday went into a steep descent.
Descend
(intransitive) To come down, as from a source, original, or stock
Descent
A falling upon or invasion.
Descend
To be derived (from)
Descent
(topology) A particular extension of the idea of gluing. See Descent (mathematics).
Descend
To proceed by generation or by transmission; to happen by inheritance.
The beggar may descend from a prince.
A crown descends to the heir.
Descent
The act of descending, or passing downward; change of place from higher to lower.
Descend
To move toward the south, or to the southward.
Descent
Incursion; sudden attack; especially, hostile invasion from sea; - often followed by upon or on; as, to make a descent upon the enemy.
The United Provinces . . . ordered public prayer to God, when they feared that the French and English fleets would make a descent upon their coasts.
Descend
To fall in pitch; to pass from a higher to a lower tone.
Descent
Derivation, as from an ancestor; procedure by generation; lineage; birth; extraction.
Descend
(transitive) To go down upon or along; to pass from a higher to a lower part of
They descended the river in boats; to descend a ladder
Descent
Progress downward, as in station, virtue, as in station, virtue, and the like, from a higher to a lower state, from a higher to a lower state, from the more to the less important, from the better to the worse, etc.
Descend
To pass from a higher to a lower place; to move downwards; to come or go down in any way, as by falling, flowing, walking, etc.; to plunge; to fall; to incline downward; - the opposite of ascend.
The rain descended, and the floods came.
We will here descend to matters of later date.
Descent
Transmission of an estate by inheritance, usually, but not necessarily, in the descending line; title to inherit an estate by reason of consanguinity.
Descend
To enter mentally; to retire.
[He] with holiest meditations fed,Into himself descended.
Descent
Inclination downward; a descending way; inclined or sloping surface; declivity; slope; as, a steep descent.
Descend
To make an attack, or incursion, as if from a vantage ground; to come suddenly and with violence; - with on or upon.
And on the suitors let thy wrath descend.
Descent
That which is descended; descendants; issue.
If care of our descent perplex us most,Which must be born to certain woe.
Descend
To come down to a lower, less fortunate, humbler, less virtuous, or worse, state or station; to lower or abase one's self; as, he descended from his high estate.
Descent
A step or remove downward in any scale of gradation; a degree in the scale of genealogy; a generation.
No man living is a thousand descents removed from Adam himself.
Descend
To pass from the more general or important to the particular or less important matters to be considered.
Descent
Lowest place; extreme downward place.
And from the extremest upward of thy head,To the descent and dust below thy foot.
Descend
To come down, as from a source, original, or stock; to be derived; to proceed by generation or by transmission; to fall or pass by inheritance; as, the beggar may descend from a prince; a crown descends to the heir.
Descent
A movement downward
Descend
To move toward the south, or to the southward.
Descent
Properties attributable to your ancestry;
He comes from good origins
Descend
To fall in pitch; to pass from a higher to a lower tone.
Descent
The act of changing your location in a downward direction
Descend
To go down upon or along; to pass from a higher to a lower part of; as, they descended the river in boats; to descend a ladder.
But never tears his cheek descended.
Descent
The kinship relation between an individual and the individual's progenitors
Descend
Move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way;
The temperature is going down
The barometer is falling
The curtain fell on the diva
Her hand went up and then fell again
Descent
A downward slope or bend
Descend
Come from; be connected by a relationship of blood, for example;
She was descended from an old Italian noble family
He comes from humble origins
Descent
The descendants of one individual;
His entire lineage has been warriors
Descend
Do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
Descend
Come as if by falling;
Night fell
Silence fell
Common Curiosities
Can both terms be used in a metaphorical sense?
Yes, both can have metaphorical uses, such as referring to a decline in social or moral status, but descent often describes the situation or state, while descend focuses on the action leading to that state.
How are descent and descend related in aviation?
In aviation, descent refers to the aircraft's downward movement towards landing, and descend is the act of the aircraft moving down.
Can descent be used to describe a physical journey?
Yes, descent can describe a physical journey downwards, such as in hiking or mountaineering.
What does "a descent into madness" imply?
It implies a gradual decline or deterioration into a state of insanity or chaos.
What is the primary difference between descent and descend?
Descent is a noun referring to the act or process of moving downward or lineage, while descend is a verb meaning to go or come down.
Can descend imply sudden arrival or attack?
Yes, descend can also mean to arrive or attack suddenly, often used to describe sudden, overwhelming situations.
Can descent refer to technological or economic decline?
Yes, descent can broadly refer to any kind of decline, including technological, economic, or social.
How does one choose between using descent or descend?
Choose "descent" when referring to the process or act as a noun, and "descend" when describing the action of moving down.
Is descend used only in physical contexts?
No, descend can be used both in physical contexts, like moving down a mountain, and metaphorically, such as a situation worsening.
Can descent refer to family background?
Yes, descent can refer to a person's lineage or ancestry, tracing back family origins.
Is it correct to say "descend from a family"?
Yes, it is correct to use "descend" to indicate lineage or heritage, implying an individual comes from a particular family background.
Do descent and descend always involve movement?
While typically associated with movement, they can also describe transitions in states, such as social or moral decline.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
