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
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
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
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
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
-
But the decline actually ended years ago, and the latest numbers from the American Booksellers Association show independent stores expanding at a pace not seen this century.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
-
Mutant cells in the aging brain, meanwhile, appear to contribute to cognitive decline.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
27 May 2026
Noun
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But Israel tops all concerns for some leftists, so Greene’s reversal on the issue is enough to win their support, and AOC’s refusal to embrace her is seen as a counterproductive purity test.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2026
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In April, the museum turned down the Guggenheim Bilbao’s request to borrow Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, one of the key jewels in its collection, prompting Basque officials to seek meetings with Spain’s culture minister, Ernest Urtasun, to determine whether the refusal could be overridden.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
22 May 2026
Noun
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Once that protective layer is compromised, even minor openings can lead to ongoing water intrusion that causes leaks, wood damage, microbial growth and structural deterioration over time.—
David Nye,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2026
-
Membrane degradation, electrolyte deterioration and unnecessary stress on the electrolysis system all reduce asset value over time.—
Gregory Shahnovsky,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
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The part purportedly written by Vazquez mentions years of ridicule and rejection — one of the few full sentences of his written in all caps.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 May 2026
-
Republicans hailed the rejection of the gas tax increase after it was trounced by voters.—
Claire Rush,
Fortune,
23 May 2026
Noun
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The car looks stable in slow-speed corners, efficient on straights and unusually gentle on tire degradation — exactly the combination needed to dominate modern Formula 1.—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
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The question, experts say, is whether officials can somehow deal with the dangerous chemicals in a way that does not end in a blast or the type of spill that causes environmental degradation.—
Sean Greene,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
Noun
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Asylum denial rates have soared as the administration has fired almost 100 judges deemed to be too liberal, and approved using hundreds of military lawyers to replace them.—
Olga R. Rodriguez,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
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Algorithmic care denials in health insurance, where AI systems generate denials of medically necessary services at an industrial scale.—
Jason Snyder,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Noun
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During certain portions of the race, competitors are forced to scramble on all fours while navigating steep inclines and narrow descents.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
25 May 2026
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But there was an undeniable partisan element to the descent as well.—
John Avlon,
The Atlantic,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Declination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declination. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
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