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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of decline
Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 18 Sep. 2025
Still, more buyers are turning to adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs), betting that rates will decline further in the coming years.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Ashley J. Dimella , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Bitcoin's decline proved to be a leading indicator, as the SPX followed lower.
—Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decline
Verb
Bast declined to comment for this story, citing the pending lawsuit.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 18 Sep. 2025
Still, more buyers are turning to adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs), betting that rates will decline further in the coming years.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
Turner said they have not been impacted by a tourism decline and actually are seeing an increase in revenue.
—Ashley J. Dimella , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Bitcoin's decline proved to be a leading indicator, as the SPX followed lower.
—Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decline
Verb
-
The Supreme Court deemed unconstitutional the line-item veto in 1998, by which former President Bill Clinton unilaterally refused to spend money appropriated for particular purposes.—
Kevin R. Kosar,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
-
In June, the Democratic group of senators accused the Department of Education of refusing to comply with Warren's monthslong congressional investigation into what, if any, records have been accessed by DOGE employees that could be sensitive.—
Arthur Jones II,
ABC News,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
South Korea had its three best attackers denied by European clubs.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Judge Stark denied Blue Water’s request to extend the timeline, but did give the company access to the Citgo data room used in the process, which doesn’t entirely shut the door on Hernandez’s firm.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Short sellers look to benefit from a company's falling share price by borrowing its stock to sell on the open market, then later buying it back at a lower price.—
,
CNBC,
22 Sep. 2025
-
One tree fell and a branch cut through their roof, stopping just above their bed.—
Jackie Charniga,
USA Today,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Also on display was a 1774 letter from King George III to Prime Minister Lord North, acknowledging the escalating rebellion in the American colonies and referencing the Boston Tea Party as a pivotal moment in deteriorating relations.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry
Shane Croucher
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
In the weeks after the phone call, the relationship between the two countries deteriorated.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Spaying a female pet prevents uterine infections and greatly decreases the risk of breast tumors.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
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Even with aggressive climate action that drastically decreases fossil fuel burning, the primary driver of global warming, smoke levels are likely to increase substantially, doubling by the middle of the century.—
Alejandra Borunda,
NPR,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
These fascinating GECs – all rocky cylinders plunging as deep as 164 m (538 ft) and stretching up to 30 m (98 ft) in width – have steep walls lined with layers of permafrost.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
21 Sep. 2025
-
What To Know Saturday's earthquakes struck the region that is part of the South Sandwich Trench, an active subduction zone where the South American Plate converges with the small South Sandwich Plate, causing one plate to plunge beneath the other.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Biglari was particularly critical of the company’s store-level deterioration.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
-
While StubHub stock could rise at the IPO – especially if the offering is oversubscribed – consumer backlash, regulatory pressure, competitive threats, and profitability deterioration make $STUB particularly risky.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
On those three dates, variations in the moon's position relative to Earth's equator — particularly its declination — can influence tidal forces that subtly affect Earth's rotation rate.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Decline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decline. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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