1
as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
a noticeable declension of the fitness of the baseball players over the winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in declination
a change to a lower state or level
a declension in her acting career from leading roles to cameos eventually
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in downhill
a downward slope
from this region to the seacoast there's a gentle declension of the landscape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of declension
That’s the whole exhibition, and anyone who was expecting this to be a Netflix declension of the Degenerate Art Show, with poor patriarchal Picasso as ritualized scapegoat, can rest easy.
—
Jason Farago, New York Times, 1 June 2023
Haidt follows the same tired declension narrative that his rhetorical forebearers did.
—Vicki Phillips, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2023
The same time span felt faster, like an explosion rather than like a declension.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 7 June 2021
One time, when Joyce was memorizing Latin declension, Bill Bradley of the Knicks took notice.
—Katherine Fitzgerald, The Arizona Republic, 18 July 2021
The experience of the pandemic was made ghastlier by being placed against the declension of Trumpism from evil to absurdity—who will ever forget Four Seasons Total Landscaping?—and then back into even darker evil again.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2020
Gender plays an integral role in many languages, from nouns assigned to a specific gender to adjectives changing their declensions based on the noun being described.
—Madhvi Ramani, Smithsonian, 28 Feb. 2018
Jason Farago, New York Times, 1 June 2023
Haidt follows the same tired declension narrative that his rhetorical forebearers did.
—Vicki Phillips, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2023
The same time span felt faster, like an explosion rather than like a declension.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 7 June 2021
One time, when Joyce was memorizing Latin declension, Bill Bradley of the Knicks took notice.
—Katherine Fitzgerald, The Arizona Republic, 18 July 2021
The experience of the pandemic was made ghastlier by being placed against the declension of Trumpism from evil to absurdity—who will ever forget Four Seasons Total Landscaping?—and then back into even darker evil again.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2020
Gender plays an integral role in many languages, from nouns assigned to a specific gender to adjectives changing their declensions based on the noun being described.
—Madhvi Ramani, Smithsonian, 28 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declension
Noun
-
Roads and bridges are designed with strict weight limits for a reason: excessive loads accelerate structural deterioration, leading to costly repairs and safety hazards.—
Ydanis Rodriguez,
New York Daily News,
9 Mar. 2025
-
In addition to this, using excessive water or harsh chemical cleaners can then lead to moisture accumulation around window seals, which can potentially cause mould growth or deterioration of the frame around the windows.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
In contrast, during 2016-16 the lunar declination varied from only 18.5 degrees north to 18.5 degrees south.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Red and declinations to rust and burgundy at Ferragamo and Bottega Veneta.—
WWD,
WWD,
3 Sep. 2019
Noun
-
In winter, Engelberg’s ski area offers 50 miles of ski slopes, with traditional downhill skiing as well as ski touring, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and plenty of off-piste adventures.—
Alexandra Cheney,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Sled runs may be crossed by downhill ski traffic at times and are often used by winter hikers and snowshoers, too.—
Terry Ward,
CNN,
23 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
In the late nineteenth century, the Ottoman Empire, fearing decline, pursued modernizing reforms.—
Charlie Tyson,
The New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2025
-
While that survey of online officers found a tiny decline in the proportion of universities charging more for online than in-person classes, the drop was statistically insignificant, however.—
Jon Marcus,
NPR,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Since then, the population has grown steadily, except for a dip from September 2021 to December 2021.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Visit the captivating city of Reykjavik, chase the Northern Lights or go for a dip in the rejuvenating waters of the Blue Lagoon.—
Sandra MacGregor,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
One recent exhibit displayed a series of rough-hewn public fountains that evoked post-apocalyptic decay.—
Joshua Yaffa,
The New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2025
-
And these beverages also contribute to tooth decay.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Overly broad agent objectives introduce performance degradation, making debugging and optimization significantly more challenging.—
Rick Kelly,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
-
Where everything seems more and more about degradation.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The rare proximity to Kanye—who was just beginning his descent from the summit of pop culture—was covered by every outlet imaginable, including this one.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
10 Mar. 2025
-
Phillis Wheatley, who wrote Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, was the first American of African descent and the third colonial American woman to have her work published.—
Zaneilia Harris,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Declension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declension. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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