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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Recent Examples of declined
Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
The prosecutor declined to comment further to AP pending further investigation.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
The trade group, which declined interview requests from NBC News, has long pitched the same argument to policymakers.
—Rich Bellis, NBC news, 11 Apr. 2026
The Lede Company previously declined to comment on its work for the LAFD, citing client confidentiality.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
The State Department declined to share any additional details.
—Adam Sabes , Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2026
The government has not explicitly named the TCC as an extremist group and the FBI declined our requests for comment.
—Meena Duerson, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
The university declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
Ndiaye also declined to clear the ball, instead trying to thread a pass to retreating teammate Jake Dengler inside the 18-yard box.
—Idaho Statesman, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
In an email, Gardner declined to comment on the specifics of the situation.
—Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
The prosecutor declined to comment further to AP pending further investigation.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
The trade group, which declined interview requests from NBC News, has long pitched the same argument to policymakers.
—Rich Bellis, NBC news, 11 Apr. 2026
The Lede Company previously declined to comment on its work for the LAFD, citing client confidentiality.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
The State Department declined to share any additional details.
—Adam Sabes , Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2026
The government has not explicitly named the TCC as an extremist group and the FBI declined our requests for comment.
—Meena Duerson, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
The university declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
Ndiaye also declined to clear the ball, instead trying to thread a pass to retreating teammate Jake Dengler inside the 18-yard box.
—Idaho Statesman, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declined
Verb
-
Orbán, who refused to sever Hungary’s ties to Moscow following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has repeatedly obstructed European efforts to aid Kyiv.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
That year’s Republican National Convention filled its programming with second-raters (Scott Baio gave a prime-time speech), while Ted Cruz and other speakers refused to endorse Trump onstage; National Review famously published a special issue denouncing him.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Kaley denied being abused or neglected, though Meta’s attorneys did show some Instagram posts about her mother screaming at her.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Other nearby properties, including the Cushman School, denied access for groundwater testing, according to Department of Environmental Protection documents.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jeff Shell, now felled from his presidency of Paramount, is living proof.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Floorboards were milled from walnut trees felled at a construction site in North Carolina.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The lawsuit says the hospital did not tell his family that Hylton’s condition had deteriorated and that he had been transferred to the ICU without a doctor on-site.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
-
All the while, his injuries mounted and personal life deteriorated.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That was in 2021, when league revenues decreased as a result of the pandemic.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Shooting percentages rapidly decreased after the intermission, and each team scored just 11 points in the third quarter.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Iraq’s exports plunged by about 80% in March compared with last year’s average daily volumes, while Saudi Arabia has rerouted crude through its east-west pipeline to the Red Sea, now running near capacity at roughly 7 million barrels a day.—
Gerry Doyle,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Revenue plunged during the pandemic and has yet to fully recover to prepandemic levels, and Chicago can’t afford to endanger any revenue source given its precarious financial position.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 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 government has rejected calls to give bereaved families more time to pay.—
Marc Shoffman,
TheWeek,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The government rejected any restrictions, citing national security.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Declined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declined. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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