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
One time, when Joyce was memorizing Latin declension, Bill Bradley of the Knicks took notice.
—Katherine Fitzgerald, The Arizona Republic, 18 July 2021
The same time span felt faster, like an explosion rather than like a declension.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 7 June 2021
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
One time, when Joyce was memorizing Latin declension, Bill Bradley of the Knicks took notice.
—Katherine Fitzgerald, The Arizona Republic, 18 July 2021
The same time span felt faster, like an explosion rather than like a declension.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 7 June 2021
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
-
The report identifies three massive, offsetting policy developments as the primary drivers of this fiscal deterioration.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The complaint includes several photographs of deterioration and hazards.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Nachmanoff pressed the Justice Department over whether a formal declination memo deciding against charges for Comey exists.—
Ella Lee,
The Hill,
19 Nov. 2025
-
McLaughlin characterized the Fullerton officer’s response as a declination to help.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Oc Register,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Sofia Goggia, the beloved 33-year-old Italian skier, lost control on a turn during the downhill leg and recorded a DNF.—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Mikaela Shiffrin struggles in the slalom portion of the event after teammate Breezy Johnson finishes first in the downhill.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Most officials are expecting slowing hiring coupled with a low level of layoffs that, rather than suggesting a material weakening, point more to stabilization.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
10 Feb. 2026
-
But a weakening of the job market, on the other hand, could push it to resume cuts more quickly.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Axios ran these numbers, and calculated the decline in wages as a share of gross domestic income adding up to $12,000; as in, that’s how much less per year the average American is bringing home as a result of this dynamic.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Pacific Islander students and American Indian students were the only two student groups out of 11 total who saw a decline in this metric in the same period.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
It’s built for salads, sure, but ranch dressing is also, crucially, a dip, ideal for dunking chicken wings and tofu nuggets.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Artichokes are best known as a key ingredient in creamy spinach dip, but they can also be roasted, grilled, or braised as a side, added to casseroles, or used as a pizza topping.—
Abby Norman,
Verywell Health,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The system converts heat from radioactive decay into electricity.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Leaking water can cause structural decay, mold growth, destroyed flooring, and more.—
Molly Burford,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But Puerto Rico’s rapid growth has also raised concerns about sustainability, environmental degradation and cultural erosion.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Water-soluble chlorophyll, which gives broccoli its signature color, is vulnerable to degradation during prolonged cooking or boiling.—
Anne Wolf,
Martha Stewart,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Declension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declension. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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