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
Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2026
Gradual buys preserve flexibility if the market declines further.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
These findings suggest that chemicals may play an important role in amplifying population declines in agricultural regions.
—François Leroy, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2026
These announcements come at a time when pronatalism, a movement that promotes childbearing in response to global birth rate declines, is having a moment.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
China’s politicians and intellectuals are embracing the Greek and Roman classics just as the study of these subjects declines in the West.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Both trade lanes experienced 19 percent volume declines.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 9 Mar. 2026
This comes at a fiscally dire time for Broward County Public Schools, which has lost significant revenue as school enrollment declines each year.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
As the population ages and migration declines, the size of the labor force is shrinking.
—Allison Schrager, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2026
Markets will still fluctuate, and economies will cycle through declines — both short and long — that test investors’ patience and courage.
—Steve Booren, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
Officials also pointed to the use of technology such as license plate readers for declines in car thefts.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Traditionally, when two major studios merge, the number of films released declines and there is a major wave of layoffs as consolidation weeds out redundancies.
—Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2026
Browne told the Sun Sentinel that Reynolds invited him to return to try to invigorate the union, which had suffered membership declines over the years.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026
After posting the fastest sales growth among major automakers in Europe last year, Renault’s performance has fallen off a cliff in 2026, with stark declines in several markets in January and February.
—Albertina Torsoli, Bloomberg, 9 Mar. 2026
Saudi Aramco’s shares rose the most in more than two years as investors bet that the rise in oil prices could offset declines in exports, Bloomberg reported.
—Amena Bakr, semafor.com, 9 Mar. 2026
And pitching successfully through in-game velocity declines is going to be a necessity.
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
Enrollment declines, class size law The plan was put in motion when Samuels was serving as the local superintendent of District 3.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2026
Gradual buys preserve flexibility if the market declines further.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
These findings suggest that chemicals may play an important role in amplifying population declines in agricultural regions.
—François Leroy, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2026
These announcements come at a time when pronatalism, a movement that promotes childbearing in response to global birth rate declines, is having a moment.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
China’s politicians and intellectuals are embracing the Greek and Roman classics just as the study of these subjects declines in the West.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Both trade lanes experienced 19 percent volume declines.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 9 Mar. 2026
This comes at a fiscally dire time for Broward County Public Schools, which has lost significant revenue as school enrollment declines each year.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
As the population ages and migration declines, the size of the labor force is shrinking.
—Allison Schrager, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
In his former role, the now-chancellor implemented similar reforms in Harlem, which earned him the praises of his colleagues for coming up with creative solutions to a citywide problem of enrollment declines, though generating pushback in the local community.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2026
Markets will still fluctuate, and economies will cycle through declines — both short and long — that test investors’ patience and courage.
—Steve Booren, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
Officials also pointed to the use of technology such as license plate readers for declines in car thefts.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Traditionally, when two major studios merge, the number of films released declines and there is a major wave of layoffs as consolidation weeds out redundancies.
—Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2026
Browne told the Sun Sentinel that Reynolds invited him to return to try to invigorate the union, which had suffered membership declines over the years.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026
After posting the fastest sales growth among major automakers in Europe last year, Renault’s performance has fallen off a cliff in 2026, with stark declines in several markets in January and February.
—Albertina Torsoli, Bloomberg, 9 Mar. 2026
Saudi Aramco’s shares rose the most in more than two years as investors bet that the rise in oil prices could offset declines in exports, Bloomberg reported.
—Amena Bakr, semafor.com, 9 Mar. 2026
And pitching successfully through in-game velocity declines is going to be a necessity.
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 7 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declines
Verb
-
There’s no denying that Caurón leans into the sentimental here and elsewhere, yet there’s a strong gust of catharsis that García Treviño transmits as Liborio’s bloodied body refuses to surrender.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
-
But this team refuses to follow that path.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Prosecutors this week sought a prison sentence of seven years and seven months for Marius Borg Høiby, who denies the rape accusations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Prosecutors this week sought a prison sentence of seven years and seven months for Marius Borg Høiby, who denies the rape allegations.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The rules of the game state that, if a head of a household falls, the next person in succession must take their place and fight, or their entire family line will get blown up by Satan.—
Jada Yuan,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2026
-
By the time the curtain falls, dozens of audience members have become part of the show.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The turtle slows, more organisms attach, and the animal’s condition deteriorates.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The movie, out now, follows Irene (Liu), her son Joe (Lawrence Shou), whose relationship deteriorates in the wake of his schizophrenia diagnosis.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And recent data from a trial that Cherney is involved in, called REMODEL, show that semaglutide reduces damage to kidney blood vessel linings, decreases the activity of natural killer cells (white blood cells that destroy diseased cells), and increases fat loss from stores surrounding the kidneys.—
Tara Haelle,
Scientific American,
17 Mar. 2026
-
As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When Heathcliff, a foundling, discovers that Cathy Earnshaw, the daughter of the impoverished Yorkshire lord who’s taken him in, has played a prank on him by putting eggs in his beds to be crushed, the boy plunges his fingers into the slippery puddle of yolk and albumen left behind.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Madelyn Cline is giving all the stylish WAGS who showed up at the 2026 NFL Honors a run for their money thanks to a blue Christopher Esber gown that plunges all the way to her stomach.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The rankings are based on a three-year average, which smooths out spikes and dips occasioned by big events such as war or financial downturns.—
Jeanne Bonner,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Try adding cottage cheese to omelets, pancakes, dips, or pasta for a boost of protein.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
No reason was provided for the shops’ demises.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Nov. 2025
-
The mission, the fourth of 2025, would also be Starship's first flight since May 27 amid a year plagued by explosive demises for the vehicle.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Declines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declines. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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