What term describes moving downward?

The term that describes moving downward is "descending." This term specifically captures the concept of going from a higher point to a lower point, which can apply in various contexts, such as altitude, hierarchy, or numerical values. For instance, in navigation, one might talk about descending from a mountain, indicating they are moving lower in elevation. Similarly, in a list or ranking, when items are organized in a descending order, they are arranged from highest to lowest.

The other options have distinct meanings that do not align with the concept of moving downward. "Ascending" clearly refers to moving upward or increasing in position, while "elevating" suggests raising something to a higher level. "Declining" generally refers to a reduction or decrease but does not accurately convey the physical motion downward as "descending" does. Therefore, "descending" is the correct term to indicate movement in a downward direction.