1
as in decline
a change to a lower state or level
there's been a declination in basic civility in our society
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in refusal
an unwillingness to grant something asked for
congressional declinations of cabinet appointments have been relatively infrequent, most senators believing that the president is entitled to pick his own advisors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of declination
Federal regulations require special counsels to provide the attorney general with a report that explain prosecution or declination decisions once their work is concluded.
—
Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
Nachmanoff pressed the Justice Department over whether a formal declination memo deciding against charges for Comey exists.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 19 Nov. 2025
Jupiter is currently situated against the stars of Gemini the Twins where the ecliptic — the apparent path of the sun, moon and planets — comes farthest north, at +23 degrees declination.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 8 Nov. 2025
Presenting their findings in a lengthy declination memo, the prosecutors explicitly mentioned the two other investigations to bolster their recommendation that probable cause does not exist to charge Comey, according to sources familiar with the contents of the memo.
—Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for declination
Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
Nachmanoff pressed the Justice Department over whether a formal declination memo deciding against charges for Comey exists.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 19 Nov. 2025
Jupiter is currently situated against the stars of Gemini the Twins where the ecliptic — the apparent path of the sun, moon and planets — comes farthest north, at +23 degrees declination.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 8 Nov. 2025
Presenting their findings in a lengthy declination memo, the prosecutors explicitly mentioned the two other investigations to bolster their recommendation that probable cause does not exist to charge Comey, according to sources familiar with the contents of the memo.
—Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for declination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declination
Noun
-
SoftBank Group dropped over 10% amid a broader decline in Asia tech stocks.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
-
Consistent short sleep, however, has been linked to measurable declines in cognitive performance and day-to-day functioning, while chronic sleep deprivation is associated with more serious long-term health risks.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Noun
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The biggest financial blow may have come from Blockbuster Video’s refusal to carry the movie on VHS.—
Isaac Butler,
New Yorker,
30 May 2026
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The agreement gives a limited liability corporation associated with the Broncos the right of first refusal to purchase the former railyard from CDOT and ensures the state cannot sell the land to anybody but the football club.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
Noun
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The global public square has been getting coarser for years, and social media has played a big part in the deterioration.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
1 June 2026
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The damage required removal of the affected portion in hopes of preventing further deterioration.—
Brian Unger,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Noun
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For the next two years, Adamson and Watson struggled through label rejections, an aborted stint opening for Alice Cooper with a mediocre backing band, and some uneven sessions with Roxy Music producer Chris Thomas.—
Ethan Beck,
Pitchfork,
30 May 2026
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There is, however, ongoing discussion about whether the introduction of hierarchy might have contributed to the decline of mega-sites due to an overall rejection of that form of organization.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
30 May 2026
Noun
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This collection of poems—Orr’s thirteenth—bears bitter witness to environmental degradation, moral corruption, and the aging of a body and of a generation, all viewed from a bird’s eye, wrapped in the language and tone of myth.—
Craig Morgan Teicher,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
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And a 2024 study found that a larger-than-expected proportion of physicians are leaving after fulfilling their service obligations, citing pay disparity, administrative burden, and clinical skill degradation as key drivers.—
Allison DeAngelis,
STAT,
1 June 2026
Noun
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The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected lawsuits challenging several permits granted by the OPSB, but hasn't yet ruled on multiple cases brought by developers seeking to reverse an OPSB denial.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
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Rivals such as China and Russia continue developing advanced anti-access and area-denial systems that threaten traditional airborne surveillance aircraft.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
30 May 2026
Noun
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People of Somali descent accounted for less than 3% of arrests during the operation.—
Anthony Bettin,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
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Back to back Cuban winners Toledo was crowned by the previous year’s winner, Naisha Nardo, a young woman of Cuban descent also born in Miami.—
Sarah Moreno
May 31,
Miami Herald,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Declination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declination. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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