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
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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
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2025
The pic looks to decline around 60% or more, so $5.6M. Perkins’ previous NEON horror film, Longlegs, eased -47% in weekend 2 last July off a C+ Cinemascore, which is the same grade that The Monkey obtained.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2025
Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
In total, German exports added up to 1.56 trillion euros last year, a 1.2% decline compared with 2023.
—Associated Press, TIME, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decline
Verb
Martinez declined a $16 million option with the Padres after the 2023 season.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2025
The pic looks to decline around 60% or more, so $5.6M. Perkins’ previous NEON horror film, Longlegs, eased -47% in weekend 2 last July off a C+ Cinemascore, which is the same grade that The Monkey obtained.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
Why Leaders Are Resigning: The Three Critical Factors Erosion Of Trust in Leadership
The report shows that only 29% of employees trust their immediate managers—a dramatic decline.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
In total, German exports added up to 1.56 trillion euros last year, a 1.2% decline compared with 2023.
—Associated Press, TIME, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decline
Verb
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In hearings at the Constitutional Court, which is deliberating whether to formally remove Mr. Yoon from office, both Lieutenant General Lee and Lieutenant General Yeo refused to discuss details of their roles for fear that their testimony would be used against them during their own criminal trials.—
Choe Sang-Hun,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2025
-
In response, the woman not only refused to bake a cake this year but also skipped the party altogether.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
In most fields workers are prone to deny a problem and even pretend to enjoy the abuse.—
James L. Edwards III,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
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The Idaho Senate this week approved a joint resolution to deny voters the authority to legalize cannabis through a statewide ballot initiative.—
A.J. Herrington,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
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After this, oil production will fall, albeit slowly toward 2050, as decarbonization proceeds and more electric vehicles take to the roads.—
Ian Dexter Palmer,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
-
For 2025, Kohl’s expects revenue to fall 5% to 7%, compared with Wall Street estimates of a 1.6% decrease, according to LSEG.—
Russell Leung,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Its effects weren’t confined to California—air quality deteriorated in neighboring states, and supply chain disruptions followed.—
Joel Carboni,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Despite overcoming the initial infection, Thomas’ condition deteriorated.—
Amy McGorry,
Fox News,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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New York Open Data showed that certain types of delays, such as those related to braking issues, rail and roadbed problems and service delivery, decreased on the A line from September to December.—
Nic F. Anderson,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025
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The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Tesla Stock Price Drop: Why TSLA Crashed 50% Since December And The Impact On Investors Tesla stock has plunged by over 50% since December, a dramatic collapse that has stunned shareholders and analysts alike.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
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Stocks had plunged on Monday morning, continuing three consecutive weeks of losses, with the technology-laden Nasdaq marking its worst day since September 2022 and the Dow shedding 890 points to close beneath its 200-moving average for the first time since late 2023.—
Kate Gibson,
CBS News,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
This industry is the major culprit in the bay’s deterioration.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Feb. 2025
-
In the fourth quarter, revenues were up 2 percent at constant exchange rates, returning to growth after several quarters of deterioration, mainly thanks to the improvement recorded by the wholesale channel.—
Luisa Zargani,
WWD,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
In contrast, during 2016-16 the lunar declination varied from only 18.5 degrees north to 18.5 degrees south.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
7 Feb. 2025
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Red and declinations to rust and burgundy at Ferragamo and Bottega Veneta.—
WWD,
WWD,
3 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Decline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decline. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
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