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
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Recent Examples of decline
Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 2 Oct. 2025
With the de minimis provision gone, air freight has declined around 30 percent, per Glennon.
—Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
Richard Stengel, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
The later disruption of those railroad networks signifies the country’s economic decline in the early twentieth century.
—Edna Bonhomme, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decline
Verb
While manufacturing provides more than 470,000 jobs and brings more than $66 billion into Wisconsin's economy, the sector continues to decline in the state despite growth nationally.
—Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 2 Oct. 2025
With the de minimis provision gone, air freight has declined around 30 percent, per Glennon.
—Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
According to the Freedom House survey, 2005 was the last year when global movement toward democracy outnumbered declines.
—Richard Stengel, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
The later disruption of those railroad networks signifies the country’s economic decline in the early twentieth century.
—Edna Bonhomme, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decline
Verb
-
My adoptive parents had refused to allow contact or send pictures, and didn’t tell me about her attempt to communicate with us for years after the fact.—
Nicole Chung,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Federal officials refused to return him, accusing him of being a gang member, despite judges’ orders that he should be sent back to the United States.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Republicans argue Democrats want to fund health care for immigrants in the country illegally, a claim Democrats deny.—
Todd Spangler,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Once there, she was assigned a bare mattress on the floor and denied religious accommodations, including Halal meals, her lawyers said.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The 49ers dropped their first loss of the season to the Jaguars, as the team fell with a final score of 26-21.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
-
However, only 5% is allocated to equities, which means there is room for retail participation to deepen, especially as deposit rates fall and property remains out of favor, analysts told CNBC.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Breaking them down to save for a later date isn’t enough, as bugs will still nestle their way in even as the cardboard deteriorates.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Advertisement Our hygiene deteriorates.—
Eli Sharabi,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Sesame oil is high in antioxidants that may help decrease the risk of cancer and heart disease, along with reducing joint pain related to arthritis.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
-
As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Though speculation has been swirling around Doctor Who for months amid plunging ratings and concerns that Disney+ could pull out of its co-production deal with BBC, the British broadcaster’s new chief content officer Kate Phillips recently affirmed the company remains committed to the show.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
27 Sep. 2025
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In the summer of 2022 when inflation was raging at four-decade highs and consumer sentiment plunged to its lowest level on record, Americans continued to spend at a solid clip in the following months.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Mahama’s installations, which say something about societal deterioration, also dramatize the country’s inability to sustain robust funding in the arts or technology in its postindependence years.—
Edna Bonhomme,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Indeed, September’s deterioration doesn’t signal the first time the indicator has entered recession territory—it’s been there since February 2025—but marks a further step away from a healthy outlook over a prolonged period of time.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 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 6 Oct. 2025.
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