Synonyms of declined

declined 1 of 2

adjective

as in bowing

bending downward or forward

we awaited our punishment with declined heads

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bowing
• nodding
• bowed
• weeping
• falling
• declining
• descending
• hanging
• dangling
• hung
• sagging
• inclining
• floppy
• drooping
• stooping
• descendant
• pendulous
• suspended
• sinking
• droopy
• pendent
• dipping
• limp
• slumping

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rigid
• erect
• upright
• stiff
• elevated
• inflexible
• unbending
• raised
• upraised

declined

2 of 2

verb

past tense of decline

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

• refused
• rejected
• denied
• ignored
• passed
• withdrew
• vetoed
• dismissed
• disputed
• spurned
• disapproved
• avoided
• nixed
• forbade
• repudiated
• balked (at)
• passed up
• turned down
• threw over
• deselected
• threw out
• reprobated
• rebuffed
• negatived
• overruled
• disdained
• prohibited
• scouted
• turned one's back on
• retracted
• blew off
• scorned
• renounced
• recalled
• proscribed
• revoked
• contradicted
• disavowed
• shot down
• recanted
• forbore
• refuted
• disclaimed
• abstained (from)
• gainsaid
• took back
• refrained (from)
• stuck
• abjured
• rebutted
• backtracked
• bypassed
• detoured
• disagreed (with)
• disowned
• disproved
• negated
• forswore
• disallowed
• reneged
• controverted
• backed off
• backed down
• unsaid

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accepted
• approved
• agreed (to)
• received
• adopted
• took
• agreed
• tolerated
• welcomed
• swallowed
• embraced
• consented
• selected
• acquiesced
• chose
• condoned
• countenanced
• supported
• acceded
• assented
• espoused
• handpicked

2

as in denied

to be unwilling to grant

declined our request to hold a party

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refused
• denied
• rejected
• withheld
• disapproved
• disallowed
• forbade
• vetoed
• nixed
• prohibited
• restricted
• rebuffed
• kept
• negatived
• banned
• reprobated
• enjoined
• spurned
• proscribed
• checked
• restrained
• repelled
• constrained
• held
• hindered
• curbed
• impeded
• obstructed
• repressed
• balked (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• granted
• permitted
• allowed
• let
• provided
• conceded
• gave
• supplied
• afforded
• furnished
• authorized
• commissioned
• licensed
• acquiesced
• agreed (to)
• warranted
• consented (to)
• accorded
• sanctioned
• OK'd
• acceded (to)
• assented (to)
• vouchsafed

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

• fell
• plunged
• dipped
• tumbled
• dropped
• plummeted
• decreased
• sank
• skidded
• descended
• lowered
• crashed
• dived
• cratered
• retreated
• diminished
• nose-dived
• subsided
• dwindled
• waned
• died (down)
• ebbed
• lessened
• drooped
• moderated
• abated
• receded
• tapered off
• let up
• de-escalated

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rose
• lifted
• arose
• soared
• mounted
• ascended
• increased
• grew
• expanded
• built
• spiked
• upped
• intensified
• accumulated
• escalated
• swelled
• enlarged
• picked up
• waxed
• ballooned
• mushroomed
• burgeoned
• snowballed

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

• deteriorated
• worsened
• descended
• crumbled
• diminished
• sank
• ebbed
• degenerated
• fell
• regressed
• devolved
• weakened
• rotted
• retrograded
• atrophied
• decayed
• waned
• dwindled
• sagged
• disintegrated
• receded
• reduced
• went to pot
• slipped
• went to seed
• downsized
• degraded
• soured
• decomposed
• undermined
• failed
• abated
• lessened
• lowered
• dilapidated
• corrupted
• lagged
• languished
• putrefied
• de-escalated
• drooped
• flagged
• spoiled
• debilitated
• wasted (away)
• moldered
• broke down
• ran down
• wilted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improved
• upgraded
• ameliorated
• intensified
• enhanced
• proceeded
• developed
• meliorated
• strengthened
• heightened
• enriched
• progressed
• bettered
• fortified
• marched
• advanced

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

• decreased
• diminished
• fell
• subsided
• shrank
• eased
• vanished
• ebbed
• waned
• dwindled
• dropped (off)
• receded
• relented
• lowered
• moderated
• drained (away)
• died (away or down or out)
• lessened
• fell away
• weakened
• tapered
• tapered off
• remitted
• let up
• palled
• abated
• evaporated
• de-escalated
• ratcheted (down)
• racheted (down)
• phased down
• contracted
• compressed
• faded (away)
• melted (away)
• collapsed
• slowed (down)
• condensed
• slackened
• petered (out)
• alleviated
• constricted
• relaxed
• tailed (off)
• gave out
• frittered (away)
• flagged
• sank
• deflated
• caved (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increased
• grew
• rose
• expanded
• built
• intensified
• soared
• accumulated
• mounted
• escalated
• swelled
• enlarged
• appeared
• emerged
• picked up
• waxed
• ballooned
• mushroomed
• burgeoned
• snowballed
• showed up
• lengthened
• blew up
• elongated
• distended

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

• fell
• plunged
• descended
• dropped
• dipped
• sank
• tilted
• leaned
• inclined
• tipped
• listed
• sloped
• angled
• cocked
• slanted
• reclined
• canted
• heeled

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rose
• climbed
• arose
• mounted
• ascended
• upturned
• flattened
• straightened
• smoothed
• uprose
• leveled
• planed
• upswept
• evened

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of declined

Verb

Trump has declined so far to endorse a successor, opting to keep his cards close ahead of what’s likely to be a bitter race. — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2026

When asked about the lack of any tributes or the evening’s plans to honor Nolan, the Ocean Springs School District declined to comment. — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

John-Paul declined to comment to the producers of the documentary. — Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026

The amount of advertising to local newspapers declined by 82% — a $40 billion drop — since 2000, Pew Research Center said in 2023. — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026

The policy may have begun to impact the economy only in late 2023 or 2024 — years after the inflationary crisis began, and after inflation had already materially declined. — George Calhoun, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026

But Linares-Hemelberg, who now is a teacher at private school Wesminster Christian, pointed out that as enrollment declined, the school’s reputation also took some hits. — Austin Horn august 29, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026

Miller reportedly declined to participate in the documentary. — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Cagle declined to discuss specifics about the deployment strategy. — Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2026