in decline
idiom
: to become less powerful, wealthy, etc.
There was a general feeling that the country was in decline.
Examples of in decline in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Alas, humanity appears to be a species in decline.
—
Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Advertisement The Vietnam War Just a year after the Voting Rights Act and the Social Security Amendments of 1965 became law, polling found that public trust in the government was in decline, slipping down to 65% in 1966 after the high of 77% two years earlier.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
The recent narrative has been that movies, in contrast to TV series, were in decline…But there’s data that paints a different picture.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 18 Dec. 2025
Today, scholars and policymakers debate whether China will rival the United States as a superpower or is already in decline.
—Jennifer Lind, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in decline
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.
Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Advertisement The Vietnam War Just a year after the Voting Rights Act and the Social Security Amendments of 1965 became law, polling found that public trust in the government was in decline, slipping down to 65% in 1966 after the high of 77% two years earlier.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
The recent narrative has been that movies, in contrast to TV series, were in decline…But there’s data that paints a different picture.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 18 Dec. 2025
Today, scholars and policymakers debate whether China will rival the United States as a superpower or is already in decline.
—Jennifer Lind, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in decline
Cite this Entry
“In decline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20decline. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share