descanting

verb

present participle of descant
1
as in speaking
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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2
as in chanting
to produce musical sounds with the voice the world-famous soprano descanted above the melody line

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for descanting
  1. speaking
  2. chanting
  3. lecturing
  4. talking
Verb
  • Their speaking engagements and social media campaigns have sustained public attention even as international media coverage has faded.
    — Rina Amiri, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
  • That was evident in speaking with Indian exhibitors across the trade show.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of speaking
Verb
  • Syrians gathered around the court in Damascus, chanting, clapping and waving the Syrian flag as news of the sentences spread.
    — Kinda Makieh, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Outpouring of grief The sound of sobbing underlays chanting in dozens of dialects woven together in a single expression of sorrow for Imam Hussein and his companions and family, killed and taken captive in the defining event of Shia Islam.
    — Jane Arraf, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of chanting
Verb
  • Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon criticized Spain for lecturing Israel on security while struggling to control its own border.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026
  • Fauci stepped down from his NIAID post at the end of 2022 and segued to a lecturing job at Georgetown.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 July 2026
Definition of lecturing
Verb
  • Two economists talking Acemoglu points to his relationship with his former colleague and fellow star economist, Stanford’s Erik Brynjolffson, as a model for how the AI debate could go.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • But how much eye contact is the appropriate amount when talking or listening to another person?
    — Terry Ward, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of talking
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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descanted
descanting
descants
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Cite this Entry

“Descanting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descanting. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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