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
Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2025
The hospital declined to comment on the details of Black’s case.
—Cara Anthony, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Ashley J. Dimella , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Bitcoin's decline proved to be a leading indicator, as the SPX followed lower.
—Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decline
Verb
His speech declined as did his mental status.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2025
The hospital declined to comment on the details of Black’s case.
—Cara Anthony, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
Turner said they have not been impacted by a tourism decline and actually are seeing an increase in revenue.
—Ashley J. Dimella , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Bitcoin's decline proved to be a leading indicator, as the SPX followed lower.
—Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decline
Verb
-
The search giant has refused to license content from news organizations and publishers, while other AI labs have done licensing deals.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
-
For Jordan, that battle has meant staying grounded in his faith and refusing to let the disease isolate him.—
Essence,
Essence,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Alan Jackson, a lawyer for Joaquin, denied the charges.—
Luc Cohen,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
As press secretary, Jean-Pierre repeatedly denied reports regarding Biden’s mental fitness during his time in office.—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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New residential property prices fell year-on-year during August in 65 out of 70 cities surveyed by the NBS, data also showed.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
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Penske’s complaint argues that practice isn’t a fair exchange and has caused significant financial harm, with the company’s affiliate revenue falling by more than a third (as a result of Google’s AI Overviews co-opting traffic that might have otherwise gone to Penske outlets).—
Andy Meek,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In San Francisco, a development called Hunters View built in 1956 to provide temporary workforce housing was still inhabited and badly deteriorating by the early 2000s.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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But the relations have deteriorated significantly since the start of the war in Gaza, with Israeli officials voicing growing anger at Qatar, accusing the government of harboring Hamas and not putting enough pressure on it to agree to a ceasefire.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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They’re formulated with hydrating ingredients designed to decrease puffiness and help with dark circles.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
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Darrow says the orchard’s acreage has decreased by half, mirroring the state’s overall decline since 2000.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Stardust Racers, the sinewy roller coaster that towers over Epic Universe, shoots bodies through the sky at more than 60 miles an hour and plunges them toward the surface of the Earth from the height of a 10-story building.—
Bianca Bosker,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
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Girl Scouts of the USA is rolling out a new cookie flavor next year, hoping to sweeten sales after a rocky stretch marked by higher prices, plunging demand and nearly $3 million in operating losses.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Biglari was particularly critical of the company’s store-level deterioration.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
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While StubHub stock could rise at the IPO – especially if the offering is oversubscribed – consumer backlash, regulatory pressure, competitive threats, and profitability deterioration make $STUB particularly risky.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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 18 Sep. 2025.
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