Synonyms of declines

declines 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of decline

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

• refuses
• rejects
• ignores
• denies
• passes
• withdraws
• disapproves
• spurns
• dismisses
• disputes
• avoids
• balks (at)
• vetoes
• forbids
• repudiates
• turns down
• nixes
• passes up
• throws over
• deselects
• throws out
• rebuffs
• negatives
• disdains
• overrules
• reprobates
• prohibits
• blows off
• scorns
• renounces
• turns one's back on
• retracts
• scouts
• disavows
• proscribes
• recalls
• revokes
• shoots down
• contradicts
• recants
• refutes
• abjures
• abstains (from)
• refrains (from)
• forswears
• gainsays
• disclaims
• disagrees (with)
• disowns
• backtracks
• takes back
• disproves
• bypasses
• controverts
• forbears
• rebuts
• negates
• reneges
• backs off
• sticks
• unsays
• detours
• disallows
• backs down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accepts
• approves
• agrees (to)
• receives
• takes
• tolerates
• swallows
• agrees
• adopts
• embraces
• welcomes
• consents
• condones
• chooses
• acquiesces
• assents
• selects
• countenances
• supports
• accedes
• espouses
• handpicks

2

as in denies

to be unwilling to grant

declined our request to hold a party

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refuses
• denies
• rejects
• disapproves
• withholds
• disallows
• forbids
• negatives
• nixes
• prohibits
• vetoes
• bans
• restricts
• keeps
• spurns
• enjoins
• restrains
• curbs
• proscribes
• rebuffs
• checks
• reprobates
• repels
• holds
• constrains
• hinders
• represses
• impedes
• obstructs
• balks (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• permits
• concedes
• grants
• allows
• provides
• lets
• affords
• gives
• supplies
• furnishes
• authorizes
• agrees (to)
• acquiesces
• licenses
• commissions
• consents (to)
• warrants
• OKs
• assents (to)
• accedes (to)
• sanctions
• accords
• vouchsafes

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

• falls
• plunges
• dips
• tumbles
• drops
• plummets
• decreases
• sinks
• descends
• skids
• crashes
• lowers
• dives
• diminishes
• nose-dives
• subsides
• retreats
• wanes
• dwindles
• craters
• dies (down)
• moderates
• ebbs
• droops
• lessens
• tapers off
• abates
• recedes
• lets up
• de-escalates

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rises
• arises
• ups
• lifts
• increases
• ascends
• soars
• spikes
• mounts
• grows
• builds
• expands
• intensifies
• accumulates
• mushrooms
• swells
• enlarges
• picks up
• waxes
• escalates
• burgeons
• snowballs
• balloons

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

• deteriorates
• descends
• worsens
• crumbles
• diminishes
• regresses
• devolves
• degenerates
• decays
• ebbs
• sinks
• atrophies
• rots
• weakens
• retrogrades
• goes to pot
• falls
• goes to seed
• wanes
• disintegrates
• sags
• dwindles
• downsizes
• reduces
• slips
• recedes
• degrades
• decomposes
• sours
• abates
• undermines
• fails
• putrefies
• lessens
• corrupts
• lags
• dilapidates
• de-escalates
• spoils
• lowers
• debilitates
• languishes
• droops
• breaks down
• wilts
• runs down
• wastes (away)
• molders
• flags

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improves
• ameliorates
• upgrades
• enhances
• intensifies
• advances
• strengthens
• meliorates
• heightens
• progresses
• proceeds
• develops
• enriches
• fortifies
• betters
• marches

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

• decreases
• diminishes
• subsides
• falls
• shrinks
• eases
• vanishes
• ebbs
• wanes
• drops (off)
• moderates
• dwindles
• tapers
• drains (away)
• recedes
• dies (away or down or out)
• tapers off
• lowers
• lessens
• relents
• falls away
• weakens
• palls
• remits
• abates
• evaporates
• ratchets (down)
• lets up
• de-escalates
• rachets (down)
• collapses
• phases down
• compresses
• tails (off)
• melts (away)
• slows (down)
• contracts
• slackens
• fades (away)
• peters (out)
• constricts
• condenses
• alleviates
• relaxes
• gives out
• fritters (away)
• sinks
• deflates
• flags
• caves (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increases
• rises
• grows
• builds
• expands
• intensifies
• accumulates
• soars
• swells
• mushrooms
• escalates
• enlarges
• appears
• mounts
• emerges
• picks up
• waxes
• shows up
• snowballs
• burgeons
• lengthens
• balloons
• elongates
• blows up
• distends

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

• falls
• plunges
• descends
• drops
• slopes
• dips
• sinks
• tilts
• leans
• inclines
• tips
• heels
• angles
• lists
• reclines
• slants
• cants
• cocks

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rises
• ascends
• arises
• climbs
• mounts
• upturns
• levels
• upsweeps
• planes
• uprises
• flattens
• straightens
• smooths
• evens

declines

2 of 2

noun

plural of decline

1

as in deteriorations

a change to a lower state or level

the decline of the Roman Empire

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deteriorations
• degradations
• declinations
• falls
• decreases
• descents
• decadences
• ebbs
• downgrades
• eclipses
• downfalls
• devolutions
• degenerations
• reductions
• degeneracies
• decays
• declensions
• dégringolades
• destructions
• drops
• dips
• losses
• decompositions
• dark ages
• dissolutions
• slumps
• breakups
• sunsets
• nadirs
• disintegrations
• debasements
• ruins
• sags
• depreciations
• downturns
• abasements
• shrinkages
• decrements
• falloffs
• decimations
• diminutions
• diminishments
• slips
• deflations
• downtrends
• drop-offs
• demolitions
• ruinations
• havoc
• demolishments
• downslides
• abatements
• de-escalations
• desolations

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rises
• developments
• growths
• upswings
• ascents
• increases
• evolutions
• advancements
• gains
• renewals
• restorations
• increments
• enhancements
• raises
• additions
• supplements
• boosts
• accruals
• flowerings
• augmentations
• accretions
• revitalizations
• addenda

2

as in dips

a downward slope

the bicyclist lost control on the unexpectedly steep decline

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dips
• falls
• hangs
• downhills
• descents
• hangings
• downgrades
• declivities
• depressions
• basins
• declensions
• hollows

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rises
• upgrades
• ascents
• inclines
• grades
• gradients
• hills
• acclivities
• uprises
• tilts
• inclinations
• pitches
• leans
• rakes
• uphills
• glacis

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

• demises
• falls
• downfalls
• setbacks
• downs
• reversals
• collapses
• breakdowns
• flameouts
• defeats
• dégringolades
• comedowns
• ruins
• crashes
• disappointments
• humiliations
• undoings
• burnouts
• descents
• meltdowns
• disgraces
• nadirs
• abasements
• bottoms

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rises
• ups
• advances
• progresses
• ascents
• exaltations
• aggrandizements
• headways
• flowers
• primes
• heydays

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

• decreases
• reductions
• drops
• dents
• falls
• losses
• decrements
• shrinkages
• depletions
• slumps
• diminutions
• falloffs
• depressions
• drop-offs
• diminishments
• step-downs
• abatements
• subtractions
• downturns
• deductions
• cuts
• cutbacks
• slips
• retrenchments
• curtailments
• shortenings

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increases
• gains
• rises
• increments
• raises
• boosts
• enlargements
• additions
• accumulations
• supplements
• upticks
• accruals
• accretions
• extensions
• step-ups
• continuations
• upswings
• upturns
• uptrends

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of declines

Verb

An engagement score declines, a review meeting goes flat, a survey response comes back indifferent—and the team responds. — Frank Auger, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

If a winner cannot be contacted; fails to respond within ten (10) days; is found ineligible; or declines the prize, The Athletic may select an alternate winner. — The Athletic, New York Times, 20 July 2026

Melatonin the hormone released at night that triggers sleepiness also declines with age, and perimenopause brings a significant drop that makes sound sleep harder to come by. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 July 2026

But while copper is an excellent conductor at larger sizes, its performance declines when those wires shrink to the nanoscale. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 17 July 2026

The mother-daughter duo declines to give a specific dollar amount, but Camila says her nannies earn more than $10,000 a month. — Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026

In unveiling the annual results for BBC Commercial, your team highlighted growth in key revenue streams, but also declines elsewhere. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026

More memory shortages into 2027 and continued global smartphone shipment declines. — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 14 July 2026

Car registrations and titles can now be issued electronically, and some DMV documentation will be sent via email, unless the driver declines to provide an address. — Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 13 July 2026

Noun

The purpose of a retirement war chest, according to Cave, isn't to shed equities or eliminate market declines. — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 26 July 2026

More than half of states saw declines in measles vaccinations compared with the year before, the CDC said. — Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026

Program uptake correlated with declines in hospitalizations for respiratory illnesses. — Ashwini Sehgal, The Conversation, 23 July 2026

Other restaurants associated with lettuce, such as Chopt, Panera Bread and Sweetgreen also saw declines on July 11, compared to average traffic rates, the data firm said. — Mike Snider, USA Today, 19 July 2026

Such declines can impact muscle strength, bone density, and libido, potentially causing fatigue and weakness. — Nina Shapiro, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026

Ghio’s letter detailed alarming declines in the quality of casework at the agency, including a decline in how often child welfare workers make home visits, supervision of workers and how quickly work on a case begins. — Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026

On the 72 nights of group stage matches, host cities saw declines in occupancy 44 times, compared to the same day one year earlier. — Miami Herald, 17 July 2026

Back then, like now, there was concern over ratings declines and the need to make the Emmys a much more vibrant, enticing program for viewers. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 17 July 2026