DESCEND (ON OR UPON) Synonyms: 69 Similar and Opposite Words

descend (on or upon)

verb

Definition of descend (on or upon)

as in to attack

to take sudden, violent action against the shock troops descended on the village without warning

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for descend (on or upon)

Verb

The recent success of a late-stage mRNA cancer vaccine, showing the drug stopped the return of melanoma, has boosted hopes that the approach can be successfully harnessed to attack other cancers.

— Allison DeAngelis, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
In Ohio, Husted has been repeatedly attacked for his role in attracting data centers to Ohio as lieutenant governor.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of attack

Verb

According to the Public Defender's Office, officers falsely claimed that Gibson had assaulted them by biting, punching, and wrapping a radio cord around an officer's neck, claims later refuted by video evidence.

— Senior Editor, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Large private surveys of students at multiple colleges consistently estimate that 1 in 5 college women are assaulted while attending university.

— Kaitlyn M. Sims, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of assault

Verb

The Pussycat on Biscayne Boulevard near 79th Street in Miami was raided by police 18 times between 1978 and 1987.

— David Goodhue October 9, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
On Thursday, October 8, a judge ruled that the search warrants the Thames Valley Police used to raid Andrew’s homes were unlawful.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of raid

Verb

The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, after passengers stormed the cockpit and wrenched back controlfrom the attacker, who Israeli officials suspect was trying to crash the plane.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Like magic, upon the proclamation, arm lift, and beat drop, pouring rain storms down upon the audience.

— Miki Hellerbach, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of storm

Verb

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces overnight struck targets in Ukraine's southern Odesa region on the Black Sea coast with drones.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has largely rebounded, but only at great risk to tankers, 20 of which have been struck in the last month, suggesting recovery could be unsustainable.

— Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of strike

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descending (on or upon)

descend (on or upon)

descends

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“Descend (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descend%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of descend (on or upon)

verb

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