as in bowing
bending downward or forward
we awaited our punishment with declined heads
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in refused
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in denied
to be unwilling to grant
declined our request to hold a party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fell
to go to a lower level especially abruptly
new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deteriorated
to become worse or of less value
his reputation as a writer began to decline not long after his death
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in decreased
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the winds should decline as soon as the cold front passes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in plunged
to lead or extend downward
the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of declined
Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
Major events such as Hamilton and an Issa Rae show were swiftly canceled, staff departures staggered departments and drained the organization of expertise, and ticket sales drastically declined.
—Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
Alan Kluger, a Miami lawyer who represents Kleyner and Ulis, declined to comment when asked by a Miami Herald reporter about the couple’s investments and their suit against Kapoor.
—Jay Weaver
june 6, Miami Herald, 6 June 2026
His lawyer declined to comment.
—Donie O'Sullivan, CNN Money, 6 June 2026
Stellantis declined to elaborate on its partnership with Leapmotor.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 6 June 2026
After Jacques Chirac left the Élysée, his health declined and his public voice faded.
—ABC News, 6 June 2026
McFadden’s public information officers three times told the Observer there was no agreement to house federal inmates in place and declined to make the sheriff available for an interview.
—Julia Coin
june 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 June 2026
The suspect’s defense attorney, Rosa Isabel Valiente declined to comment after the hearing.
—Barry Williams, New York Daily News, 5 June 2026
Verb
Those who declined frequently faced intense criticism from media outlets and activists.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
Major events such as Hamilton and an Issa Rae show were swiftly canceled, staff departures staggered departments and drained the organization of expertise, and ticket sales drastically declined.
—Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
Alan Kluger, a Miami lawyer who represents Kleyner and Ulis, declined to comment when asked by a Miami Herald reporter about the couple’s investments and their suit against Kapoor.
—Jay Weaver
june 6, Miami Herald, 6 June 2026
His lawyer declined to comment.
—Donie O'Sullivan, CNN Money, 6 June 2026
Stellantis declined to elaborate on its partnership with Leapmotor.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 6 June 2026
After Jacques Chirac left the Élysée, his health declined and his public voice faded.
—ABC News, 6 June 2026
McFadden’s public information officers three times told the Observer there was no agreement to house federal inmates in place and declined to make the sheriff available for an interview.
—Julia Coin
june 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 June 2026
The suspect’s defense attorney, Rosa Isabel Valiente declined to comment after the hearing.
—Barry Williams, New York Daily News, 5 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declined
Verb
-
The stories below belong to 13 Black women who refused to be reduced to a statistic.—
Ayren Jackson-Cannady,
SELF,
29 May 2026
-
Allen refused to unload the bike, which weighed roughly 300 pounds, according to court records.—
Rose Evans
Updated May 29,
Idaho Statesman,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The governors, Alfonso Durazo of Sonora and Américo Villarreal Anaya of Tamaulipas, denied any wrongdoing and called accusations against them an attempt to undermine Mexican sovereignty.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
Mullin denied the accusations, saying said his agency was not racist.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Piccotto effectively plays the regret of a mother forced to reckon with the loss of a child, the horror of engaging with that child again, while also grappling with her own role as a mother felled by the scourge of addiction.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
In a Western Conference Final where a few other key Colorado Avalanche players are already playing through injuries, the NHL’s leading goal scorer this season was felled trying to prevent someone else from scoring.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
Fertilizer affordability has deteriorated to levels not seen since the Arab Spring.—
John W.H. Denton AO,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
-
By the time Asher, 3 years old at the time, was admitted to a children's hospital for a second time, his condition had significantly deteriorated.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
The sentence was decreased to 30 years weeks later.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
-
Brunson, meanwhile, has also received attention for his propensity to draw fouls, but his reliance in that area has decreased.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
Still, transits have plunged to two or three every day compared to nearly 100 prior to the conflict, according to shipping tracking data.—
Devika Krishna Kumar,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
-
Traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb plunged and has never fully recovered.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.—
Aylin Woodward,
WSJ,
21 Dec. 2021
Verb
-
The ceasefire hinged on an end to Hezbollah attacks, but the group was not party to the talks and its leader rejected the pact.—
Frederik Pleitgen,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
-
That ad, like the others, was rejected by WMATA, according to the lawsuit.—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Declined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declined. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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