1
as in to refuse
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to
he declined the invitation to the party she declined to participate in the soccer game
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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2
as in to deny
to be unwilling to grant
declined our request to hold a party
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3
as in to fall
to go to a lower level especially abruptly
new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years
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4
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
his reputation as a writer began to decline not long after his death
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5
as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the winds should decline as soon as the cold front passes
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6
as in to plunge
to lead or extend downward
the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles
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1
as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
her sad decline from a robust athlete to an old woman with arthritis
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2
as in declination
a change to a lower state or level
the decline of the Roman Empire
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3
as in downhill
a downward slope
the bicyclist lost control on the unexpectedly steep decline
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4
as in demise
a loss of status
the engagement at the small club was an unmistakable sign of the rock band's decline
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5
as in decrease
the amount by which something is lessened
a huge decline in the value of the artwork after its authenticity was questioned
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of decline
Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 24 May 2025
Her attorney, Jason Bowles, declined to comment on the release out of respect for her privacy.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 24 May 2025
Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 24 May 2025
The Bidens may have planned the cancer announcement as a smokescreen to take the focus off the coverup of his mental decline illustrated by memory lapses, stumbles and inarticulate speech patterns heard on the audio.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for decline
Verb
According to data from Downdetector, X's performance issues began to mount at roughly 8:20 a.m. ET this morning, peaking around 40 minutes later before slowly declining.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 24 May 2025
Her attorney, Jason Bowles, declined to comment on the release out of respect for her privacy.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 24 May 2025
Noun
Carlos Reales Dominguez sat motionless at the defense table Friday as experts testified to his mental decline at Yolo County Jail following his May 2023 arrest in the serial Davis stabbings that left two dead and another seriously injured.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 24 May 2025
The Bidens may have planned the cancer announcement as a smokescreen to take the focus off the coverup of his mental decline illustrated by memory lapses, stumbles and inarticulate speech patterns heard on the audio.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for decline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decline
Verb
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For more than a decade, Cox has refused to carry SportsNet LA because of its high cost.—
Ryan Faughnder,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2025
-
Related Stories Sonja Morgan Banned from N.Y.C. Hotspot After Walking Out on $1,000 Bill Sonja Morgan Speaks Out After Leaving Restaurant in Ambulance On May 10, Morgan allegedly refused to pay her $1000 bill at Tucci, an upscale restaurant in the Noho neighborhood of Manhattan.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
20 May 2025
Verb
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No matter the medium, there’s no denying that art stirs the senses unlike most forms of expression.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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The Boise City Council denied that appeal in April in a 4-1 vote, with Council Member Luci Willits the lone dissenter.—
Nick Rosenberger,
Idaho Statesman,
23 May 2025
Verb
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More: Stocks fall, Dow down 800 points as bonds tank amid tax debate.—
Riley Beggin,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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Long-term Treasuries fell further Thursday; and yields, which trade in opposite direction to prices, continued to surge.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
22 May 2025
Verb
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Their mental health deteriorated, which reinforced the officer’s excuse to keep them deadlocked.—
Justyna Rzewinski,
New York Daily News,
21 May 2025
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While more durable than the original Irish linen that encased the wings when the KC Eaglet rolled out of the factory on Aug. 12, 1930, all fabrics will deteriorate over time from exposure to the sun.—
Mike Hendricks,
Kansas City Star,
21 May 2025
Verb
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Nord decreased our upload speeds by 38.37% and our latency by 29.26%.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
20 May 2025
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Iron Ore production decreased by 4.5% to 67.7 million metric tons due to heavy rainfall in Brazil.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Verb
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In the meantime, however, Lake has plunged back into slashing the ranks of the workforce, with hundreds of contract employees let go for a second time over the past weekend.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
22 May 2025
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Losses get much worse when the yield tops 4.7% — with the S & P 500 plunging at an annual rate of 35.5% on average.—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
21 May 2025
Noun
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Sulzberger writes passionately about the existential threats facing a free press, from economic collapse to political intimidation, and how journalism must stand as a bulwark in a time of profound civic deterioration.—
Jessica Sibley,
Time,
19 May 2025
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Dan Wang Eurasia The 90-day tariff reduction and break does not guarantee a deal, especially given the deterioration of mutual trust between the U.S. and China, said Natixis’ senior economist Gary Ng.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
13 May 2025
Noun
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Where corporate criminal investigations resolve without filing any criminal charges (through a declination or deferred prosecution agreement), companies should expect victims to still voice their views loudly to the Justice Department and beyond.—
Lisa Zornberg,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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The changing declination also defines the daily arc that the sun takes across the sky, thereby accounting for the length of daylight.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
6 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decline. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
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