decline 1 of 2

verb

di-ˈklīn How to pronounce decline (audio)
Definition of declinenext
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to deny
to be unwilling to grant declined our request to hold a party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to fall
to go to a lower level especially abruptly new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

decline

2 of 2

noun

di-ˈklīn How to pronounce decline (audio)
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in declination
a change to a lower state or level the decline of the Roman Empire

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in downhill
a downward slope the bicyclist lost control on the unexpectedly steep decline

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in demise
a loss of status the engagement at the small club was an unmistakable sign of the rock band's decline

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word decline different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of decline are refuse, reject, repudiate, and spurn. While all these words mean "to turn away by not accepting, receiving, or considering," decline often implies courteous refusal especially of offers or invitations.

declined his party's nomination

When might refuse be a better fit than decline?

While in some cases nearly identical to decline, refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for.

refused to lend them the money

When would reject be a good substitute for decline?

The words reject and decline can be used in similar contexts, but reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding.

rejected the manuscript as unpublishable

When is it sensible to use repudiate instead of decline?

The synonyms repudiate and decline are sometimes interchangeable, but repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance.

teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents

Where would spurn be a reasonable alternative to decline?

While the synonyms spurn and decline are close in meaning, spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation.

spurned his overtures of friendship

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of decline
Verb
Once vodka entered the scene in the latter half of the 20th century, sales of gin declined in favor of its less-flavorful cousin. —Jerry & Krista Slater, AJC.com, 5 Feb. 2026 Contacted by Variety, Anthropic declined to comment on Altman’s remarks. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
Launched in the fall of 2025, the plan attempts to address the loss of nearly 6,000 students, a 20% decline in enrollment, since 2017, by closing or consolidating up to 9 of the district’s 26 elementary schools. —Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026 The store with the largest decline in satisfaction was Wegmans, which dropped 6 percent to a score of 78. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 11 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for decline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decline
  1. refuse
  2. deny
  3. fall
  4. deteriorate
  5. decrease
  6. plunge
  7. deterioration
  8. declination
Verb
  • Protesters stood in front of the main gate and refused to leave.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
  • If at a certain point the person refuses to cooperate, recruiters resort to blackmail, Andriy said, threatening to hand over the correspondence to the SBU.
    — Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of refuse
Verb
  • Aljorna and Sosa-Celis denied assaulting the officer.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Decades later, Faraci cooperated with Modrowski’s lawyer during the post-conviction proceedings and submitted two affidavits in 2019 and 2011 denying Modrowski was involved, court records show.
    — Christy Gutowski, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of deny
Verb
  • The wait time can fall anywhere between six minutes and six hours.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Dua Lipa and Callum Turner, as a powerhouse couple, that fall more in step with the likes of Hailey and Justin Bieber’s individual style statements than, say, Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet’s joint method dressing.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2026
Definition of fall
Verb
  • Because of deteriorating conditions, operations were transitioned to a defensive strategy, Marceau said.
    — Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Working conditions, meanwhile, have continued to deteriorate as the demands on workers increase.
    — Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of deteriorate
Verb
  • And with Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon—considered the four major hyperscalers—projected to spend an eye-watering $700 billion on AI build-outs in 2026, these prices are unlikely to decrease anytime soon.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Some teachers might use carts for a year or two instead of having their own classroom, but the district’s demographic study shows enrollment will continue to decrease, so that problem will go away.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of decrease
Verb
  • The value of the currency has plunged, and inflation has climbed to record levels.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Five years later, the February 2021 freeze remains a defining reference point each winter when temperatures plunge.
    — Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of plunge
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
Definition of deterioration
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
Definition of declination

Browse Nearby Words

declinations
decline
declined
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decline. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on decline

Nglish: Translation of decline for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

'Buck naked' or 'butt naked'?

What does 'etcetera' mean?

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Did Orange the Fruit or the Color Come First?

Why Is the Letter ‘Z’ Associated With Sleeping?

The Words of the Week - Feb. 13

Why do we call it 'ides of March'?
See More

Popular

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Did Orange the Fruit or the Color Come First?
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
burrowing owl athene cunicularia tilts its head outside its burrow on marco island florida
Guess the Curious Origins of These Everyday Words Oh, that’s where that comes from…
See All