as in bowing
bending downward or forward
we awaited our punishment with declined heads
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in refused
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in denied
to be unwilling to grant
declined our request to hold a party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fell
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 deteriorated
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 decreased
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 plunged
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
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of declined
Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
His attorney declined to comment on the allegations.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 20 Sep. 2025
DeGeneres declined to be interviewed for this story, but several of her ex-colleagues spoke to CNN.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
Anna Marron, spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Quality, declined to comment Friday, citing active litigation.
—Kevin Fixler
september 20, Idaho Statesman, 20 Sep. 2025
The companies declined to comment or didn’t respond to requests for comment on their visa advice.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025
Montenegro declined to comment for this article about any security measures.
—Ray Stern, AZCentral.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Moermond declined to comment further on the case.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 20 Sep. 2025
Lesnar declined hitting a third F5 and was booed as a result.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Verb
Bobbitt declined to comment Friday on the water issue, saying his firm preferred to let the joint authority handle any permit discussions.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
His attorney declined to comment on the allegations.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 20 Sep. 2025
DeGeneres declined to be interviewed for this story, but several of her ex-colleagues spoke to CNN.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
Anna Marron, spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Quality, declined to comment Friday, citing active litigation.
—Kevin Fixler
september 20, Idaho Statesman, 20 Sep. 2025
The companies declined to comment or didn’t respond to requests for comment on their visa advice.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025
Montenegro declined to comment for this article about any security measures.
—Ray Stern, AZCentral.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Moermond declined to comment further on the case.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 20 Sep. 2025
Lesnar declined hitting a third F5 and was booed as a result.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declined
Verb
-
Russian President Vladmir Putin has so far refused to engage in a good faith effort to end the war after almost four years of fighting.—
Mariam Khan,
ABC News,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Allegedly, the project was stalled when Germany refused to supply engines (because of the EU arms embargo on China imposed after the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing).—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Comans, based in Louisiana, denied Khalil’s motion for a waiver preventing his removal from the country.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Andrew has denied Giuffre's allegations and expressed regret for his former friendship with Epstein.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The rebuilding took 1,200 oak trees felled from forests across France to replace the framework of the roof and 1,000 construction workers.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Although the Chiefs wound up with just one sack — rookie Omarr Norman-Lott felled quarterback Jalen Hurts with a physical takedown — their pressure forced Hurts into some short or incomplete throws during a 101-yard passing game.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The shop chugged along through the 1980s as management passed from founder Roy Kepler to his son, Clark, but by 2005, the business landscape for bookstores and booksellers had changed and deteriorated.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
19 Sep. 2025
-
In the weeks after the phone call, the relationship between the two countries deteriorated.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Despite continuing to lead Europe in research and development spending, funding in Germany decreased.—
Katharina Buchholz,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The company reported a net loss that decreased 45% year-over-year from $332 million in fiscal 2024 to $181 million in fiscal 2025.—
Eric Rosenbaum,
CNBC,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Tesla posted its largest sales drops in history in the first and second quarter, and profits plunged along with it.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Then, as interest rates rose, revenue at Gilbert’s core mortgage business plunged, resulting in nearly $400 million in losses.—
Stefan Fatsis,
The Atlantic,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.—
Aylin Woodward,
WSJ,
21 Dec. 2021
Verb
-
The movie was roundly rejected by critics and general audiences aren’t any warmer, with moviegoer survey firm Cinema Score polling a bad C- grade among early viewers.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
20 Sep. 2025
-
On September 18, the House narrowly rejected the resolution to censure Omar over her remarks and social media posts following the assassination of Kirk.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Declined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declined. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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