1
as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
a noticeable declension of the fitness of the baseball players over the winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in declination
a change to a lower state or level
a declension in her acting career from leading roles to cameos eventually
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in downhill
a downward slope
from this region to the seacoast there's a gentle declension of the landscape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of declension
That’s the whole exhibition, and anyone who was expecting this to be a Netflix declension of the Degenerate Art Show, with poor patriarchal Picasso as ritualized scapegoat, can rest easy.
—
Jason Farago, New York Times, 1 June 2023
Haidt follows the same tired declension narrative that his rhetorical forebearers did.
—Vicki Phillips, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2023
One time, when Joyce was memorizing Latin declension, Bill Bradley of the Knicks took notice.
—Katherine Fitzgerald, The Arizona Republic, 18 July 2021
The same time span felt faster, like an explosion rather than like a declension.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 7 June 2021
Gender plays an integral role in many languages, from nouns assigned to a specific gender to adjectives changing their declensions based on the noun being described.
—Madhvi Ramani, Smithsonian, 28 Feb. 2018
Jason Farago, New York Times, 1 June 2023
Haidt follows the same tired declension narrative that his rhetorical forebearers did.
—Vicki Phillips, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2023
One time, when Joyce was memorizing Latin declension, Bill Bradley of the Knicks took notice.
—Katherine Fitzgerald, The Arizona Republic, 18 July 2021
The same time span felt faster, like an explosion rather than like a declension.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 7 June 2021
Gender plays an integral role in many languages, from nouns assigned to a specific gender to adjectives changing their declensions based on the noun being described.
—Madhvi Ramani, Smithsonian, 28 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declension
Noun
-
Research has also overwhelmingly indicated that lack of sleep can lead to numerous health detriments, including chronic disease, mental health deterioration and even behavioral disorders.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Space travel has also been found to accelerate bone density loss and the destruction of blood cells, put pressure on the eyes that can cause vision problems, and lead to deterioration of muscle strength.—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
21 Jan. 2026
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
Noun
-
Though there are a few downhill ski runs in the Appenzell region, the winter activity here is based around cross-country endeavors, and the Gonten high valley is one of the top spots.—
Jackie Caradonio,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Jan. 2026
-
And in the downhill portion, skins are shed from underneath before athletes make a tricky descent on skis.—
Tom Kludt,
Vanity Fair,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Developers are divided about how much this signals a weakening of what has been a scorchingly hot market for new multifamily housing.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Affordability has become a potent political issue, especially with the job market weakening.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The resulting decline in steady natural gas supply led to the shutdown of numerous power generating stations.—
Matt Randolph,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Health experts expect bigger declines in the coming months, as more enrollees receive notice of price hikes and cancel their plans.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Millions upon millions of people are using generative AI as their ongoing advisor on mental health considerations (note that ChatGPT alone has over 900 million weekly active users, a notable proportion of which dip into mental health aspects, see my analysis at the link here).—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
From prepping birdbaths to cleaning gutters, there’s a lot of things for homeowners to do once temperatures start to dip.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In the steppe everything crumbles and decays.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
-
However, a crack can expose a tree to fungal infection or decay, which could lead to the tree dying.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The cold can also freeze liquids, crack containers and prompt chemical degradation.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Grave of the Fireflies is about the horrors and degradations of war.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Declension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declension. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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