Senescence in plants is the same as in human beings. However, this process is essential for plants to survive. A visible example of this situation in plants is when they shed leaves during autumn. The meaning of SENESCENCE is the state of being old : the process of becoming old or aging. How to use senescence in a sentence. Did you know? In this review, we focus on senescence-associated pathways and therapeutics understanding cellular senescence as a cascade that leads to aging, while discussing the recent details on the molecular pathways involved in regulating senescence and the benefits of therapeutic strategies against accumulated senescent cells and their secretions. Senescence is a cellular response characterized by a stable growth arrest and other phenotypic alterations that include a proinflammatory secretome. Senescence plays roles in normal development, maintains tissue homeostasis, and limits tumor progression. However, senescence has also been implicated as a major cause of age-related disease.