1
as in refuses
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in denies
to be unwilling to grant
declined our request to hold a party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in falls
to go to a lower level especially abruptly
new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deteriorates
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 decreases
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 plunges
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
1
as in deteriorations
a change to a lower state or level
the decline of the Roman Empire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dips
a downward slope
the bicyclist lost control on the unexpectedly steep decline
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3
as in demises
a loss of status
the engagement at the small club was an unmistakable sign of the rock band's decline
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in reductions
the amount by which something is lessened
a huge decline in the value of the artwork after its authenticity was questioned
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of declines
Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
Roughly 5% of WLFI’s supply is now collateral on Dolomite, so if WLFI declines significantly in value, the collateral could be liquidated, Vaiman said.
—Jack Kubinec, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
Unfortunately, the store manager, Yusuf (Boran Kuzum), rudely declines the siblings’ request, saying the necklace isn’t for sale.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Apr. 2026
Emperor penguins and Antarctic fur seals have been classified as endangered due to significant population declines, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
The White House highlighted immigration declines in every major metro area in a news release after the county and metro area Census numbers came out.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
The decision to close the Harper DAEP came several months before HISD’s board of managers approved plans to close 12 campuses next school year, due to aging facilities and steeper-than-expected enrollment declines.
—Claire Partain, Houston Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026
Seeing its volume declines, the company should’ve cut prices earlier, said Nicholas Fereday, a food industry analyst.
—Wire Tbd, Dallas Morning News, 8 Apr. 2026
If the tech sector declines, the resulting drawdown can significantly reduce your base for withdrawals—at a point when there may be little time to recover.
—Doug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
The declines have been escalating in recent months.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026
Scaling back government services to match such declines is notoriously difficult.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Tourism is on the rise as crime declines in downtown Baltimore, according to the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore's 2025 State of Downtown Report that was released on Thursday.
—Kaicey Baylor, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
The company has already projected more declines in its TV operations for the first quarter of 2026.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Some other measures showed small declines.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
The Northeast and the Midwest have the highest density of college campuses but will also see some of the biggest declines in the number of high-school graduates by the 2040s.
—Jeffrey Selingo, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026
However, the brand has seen month-on-month declines in sales since September 2025, pointing to weakening momentum in its core NEV lineup.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 2026
Verb
As the number of living survivors declines, organizers say the responsibility to preserve these stories is shifting.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
Roughly 5% of WLFI’s supply is now collateral on Dolomite, so if WLFI declines significantly in value, the collateral could be liquidated, Vaiman said.
—Jack Kubinec, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
Unfortunately, the store manager, Yusuf (Boran Kuzum), rudely declines the siblings’ request, saying the necklace isn’t for sale.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Apr. 2026
Emperor penguins and Antarctic fur seals have been classified as endangered due to significant population declines, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
The White House highlighted immigration declines in every major metro area in a news release after the county and metro area Census numbers came out.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
The decision to close the Harper DAEP came several months before HISD’s board of managers approved plans to close 12 campuses next school year, due to aging facilities and steeper-than-expected enrollment declines.
—Claire Partain, Houston Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026
Seeing its volume declines, the company should’ve cut prices earlier, said Nicholas Fereday, a food industry analyst.
—Wire Tbd, Dallas Morning News, 8 Apr. 2026
If the tech sector declines, the resulting drawdown can significantly reduce your base for withdrawals—at a point when there may be little time to recover.
—Doug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
The declines come after a winning week for Wall Street, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite climbing to all-time highs last week following a ceasefire between Iran and Lebanon.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
The declines have been escalating in recent months.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026
Scaling back government services to match such declines is notoriously difficult.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Tourism is on the rise as crime declines in downtown Baltimore, according to the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore's 2025 State of Downtown Report that was released on Thursday.
—Kaicey Baylor, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
The company has already projected more declines in its TV operations for the first quarter of 2026.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Some other measures showed small declines.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
The Northeast and the Midwest have the highest density of college campuses but will also see some of the biggest declines in the number of high-school graduates by the 2040s.
—Jeffrey Selingo, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026
However, the brand has seen month-on-month declines in sales since September 2025, pointing to weakening momentum in its core NEV lineup.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declines
Verb
-
And Avery refuses to let that happen.—
Ryan Wilusz,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
-
But the porch light, with only one working bulb, refuses to show us the perfect curves of her aloneness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trader Joe's denies the suit's allegations and any wrongdoing, but agreed to settle the case to avoid further litigation.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Hernandez denies the accusations.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Grapevine surges from behind, falls short Lake Creek provided most of the pressure early in the match, keeping the ball in Grapevine’s end and getting off six shots before the Mustangs started pressing in the 26th minute.—
Charles Baggarly & Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, once an aristocratic mansion, falls somewhere between the avant-garde works at the Reina Sofia and the traditional Spanish art at the Prado.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Her condition rapidly deteriorates to the point where Abbott and Robby are forced to do a C-Section in the ER, with seconds to spare to save her life and the life of the baby.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Originally staged at Avignon in 2025, the play follows a father and daughter whose bond is tested across the vastness of space as one of them starts a new life on Mars while Earth deteriorates.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Apr. 2026
-
While the deal is budget-neutral during its first year, city residents would likely notice the impact of the furloughs as the absence of workers decreases the quality of service in many areas.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Architectonics takes this murky style and plunges it to a new deep, incorporating the bronze gong and chime sounds of gamelan while burying his rhythms in dense, dubby layers of incense smoke.—
Sam Goldner,
Pitchfork,
13 Apr. 2026
-
As the capsule plunges through the atmosphere, a communications blackout is anticipated as plasma builds up around the spacecraft and causes interference.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Similar deteriorations took place in Tuscany and in Naples.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The first addition of the Gophers men’s basketball program’s transfer portal class double dips as a homecoming.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Its size is particularly noticeable on sea days, and better for quick dips than doing laps.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Declines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declines. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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