descend upon
Converge on unexpectedly
To descend upon a place is to arrive there suddenly and in force, often with overwhelming effect.
Locusts descend upon crops; tourists descend upon beach towns in summer; relatives descend upon your house for the holidays.
The phrase suggests an invasion from above—swift, numerous, and difficult to resist: Reporters descended upon the courthouse.
Surprise strike from concealment
- assaultViolent offensive act
- pounceSudden attack leap
- swoopRapid downward plunge
- raidSudden armed incursion
strike · charge · storm · blitz · onslaught · barrage · besiege · overwhelm
ambush
Surprise strike from concealment
raid · strike · charge · storm · blitz · onslaught · barrage · besiege · overwhelm · rush
swarm
Mass of moving insects
throng · congregate · flood · pour in · stream · inundate · mob · horde · crowd · mass
pass down
Transfer to successors
upon, descent, descend, descendant, descending, descended, descends, condescending, descendent