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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Entertainment Weekly,
22 June 2026
Democratic voters are more likely to vote by mail than Republicans so stand to benefit in future elections if the Supreme Court declines to get involved.
—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
21 June 2026
Manfred said the Pride Night celebrations could go on, however a team wished to stage them — or not, in the case of the Texas Rangers, the only one of the 30 MLB teams that declines to hold a Pride Night.
—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
As health declines, the algorithm eases up, trading a few extra seconds per charging session for substantially less stress on the cell.
—
IEEE Spectrum,
17 June 2026
For early types, melatonin—the hormone that promotes sleep—begins rising earlier in the evening and declines earlier in the morning.
—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
15 June 2026
Another time, the hero was a lighthouse keeper who prevents a shipwreck but declines the king’s offer of a reward, because helping people is its own reward.
—
Adam Kirsch,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
That’s down to the 3D model producing a little less warming for a brighter Sun, the expectation that CO2 declines more slowly over time, and a slight expansion of the CO2 range believed to be survivable by plants.
—
Scott K. Johnson,
ArsTechnica,
15 June 2026
Scientists found that a protein called NOX4 naturally declines with age and inactivity.
—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
Azhar Sukri,
CNBC,
28 June 2026
The declines dragged Wall Street’s tech-heavy Nasdaq down by nearly 4% over five days to Wednesday, with chip-makers the worst affected.
—
The Week Uk,
TheWeek,
27 June 2026
If a stock has fallen for a year, investors expect further declines.
—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
Numerous theories have been thrown around to try shedding light on the more recent declines among males.
—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
But those plans got shelved, first due to the recession and later due to countywide enrollment declines.
—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
20 June 2026
Here is a look at some key stats with notable declines from the two periods that provide some context and detail.
—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 June 2026
Katz recommends beginning with slight declines.
—
Alisa Hrustic,
Health,
19 June 2026
Florida, Georgia, and Nevada each saw declines of about 15%, according to the department.
—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Verb
Kojima Productions declines to share more information on Kier's involvement, though filming has now properly begun with the actors on OD.
—
Entertainment Weekly,
22 June 2026
Democratic voters are more likely to vote by mail than Republicans so stand to benefit in future elections if the Supreme Court declines to get involved.
—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
21 June 2026
Manfred said the Pride Night celebrations could go on, however a team wished to stage them — or not, in the case of the Texas Rangers, the only one of the 30 MLB teams that declines to hold a Pride Night.
—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
As health declines, the algorithm eases up, trading a few extra seconds per charging session for substantially less stress on the cell.
—
IEEE Spectrum,
17 June 2026
For early types, melatonin—the hormone that promotes sleep—begins rising earlier in the evening and declines earlier in the morning.
—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
15 June 2026
Another time, the hero was a lighthouse keeper who prevents a shipwreck but declines the king’s offer of a reward, because helping people is its own reward.
—
Adam Kirsch,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
That’s down to the 3D model producing a little less warming for a brighter Sun, the expectation that CO2 declines more slowly over time, and a slight expansion of the CO2 range believed to be survivable by plants.
—
Scott K. Johnson,
ArsTechnica,
15 June 2026
Scientists found that a protein called NOX4 naturally declines with age and inactivity.
—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
Oil prices extended declines on Friday as more tankers exited the Strait of Hormuz, easing supply concerns.
—
Azhar Sukri,
CNBC,
28 June 2026
The declines dragged Wall Street’s tech-heavy Nasdaq down by nearly 4% over five days to Wednesday, with chip-makers the worst affected.
—
The Week Uk,
TheWeek,
27 June 2026
If a stock has fallen for a year, investors expect further declines.
—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
Numerous theories have been thrown around to try shedding light on the more recent declines among males.
—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
But those plans got shelved, first due to the recession and later due to countywide enrollment declines.
—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
20 June 2026
Here is a look at some key stats with notable declines from the two periods that provide some context and detail.
—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 June 2026
Katz recommends beginning with slight declines.
—
Alisa Hrustic,
Health,
19 June 2026
Florida, Georgia, and Nevada each saw declines of about 15%, according to the department.
—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declines
Verb
-
But restraint can create value when management refuses to invest simply because capital is available.
-
And yet your brain refuses to commit.
Verb
-
The massacres, which resulted in the deaths of roughly 100,000 Polish civilians, are officially classified as a genocide by Warsaw, a characterization Kyiv denies.
-
Ultimately, the novel is about reclaiming power in a world that often denies women the clarity or even the permission to name what happened to them.
Verb
-
As opposed to the first film, where a good girl falls for a bad boy, the sequel turns the concept upside down, with Pfeiffer playing the bad girl who falls for a good boy.
-
Municipal workers are developing a new low-level drinking water connection to supply the city's approximately 7,300 residents, hotels, businesses and the golf course as the lake level falls, Geller added.
Verb
-
Breaking them down to save for a later date isn’t enough, as bugs will still nestle their way in even as the cardboard deteriorates.
-
Another six months of war and the negotiating position deteriorates.
Verb
-
As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.
-
Excessive solitary masturbation decreases intimacy between couples in long-distance relationships.
Verb
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In six parts, The American Revolution, directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, plunges us into the momentous war that led to the nation’s founding.
-
At times comical, each of these stories swerves and plunges deep into dark truths of human nature.
Noun
-
Similar deteriorations took place in Tuscany and in Naples.
Noun
-
If your energy dips, take a brief stretch, then return to the task with a lighter touch and clearer purpose.
-
Our Favorite Ways To Use Up Leftover Onions From frittatas and dips, to soups and more, there are plenty of ways to make good use of those leftover onions.
Cite this Entry
“Declines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declines. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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