DECLINES Synonyms: 418 Similar and Opposite Words

declines 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of decline

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

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Relevance

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as in denies

to be unwilling to grant declined our request to hold a party

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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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as in deteriorates

to become worse or of less value his reputation as a writer began to decline not long after his death

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as in decreases

to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the winds should decline as soon as the cold front passes

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as in plunges

to lead or extend downward the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles

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declines

2 of 2

noun

plural of decline

as in deteriorations

a change to a lower state or level the decline of the Roman Empire

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as in dips

a downward slope the bicyclist lost control on the unexpectedly steep decline

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as in demises

a loss of status the engagement at the small club was an unmistakable sign of the rock band's decline

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as in reductions

the amount by which something is lessened a huge decline in the value of the artwork after its authenticity was questioned

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of declines

Verb

Using rolling peaks, which measure declines from the most recent market high rather than calendar periods, the S & P 500 has gone 185 days without a 10% drawdown, a stretch that, by itself, does not signal an imminent correction. —

Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026 Calls for repeal come with leaders of Balboa Park museums and other organizations saying that declines in park visits have ranged from 20% to more than 50% and that overall annual revenue could drop by $20 million to $30 million. —

David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026 When risk appetite diminishes, Bitcoin declines along with equities. —

Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026 Any guest who declines to be searched may be denied entry. —

Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 21 Jan. 2026 As Gustav aims to work his way back into their lives, Nora retreats into isolation as her mental health increasingly declines. —

Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026 Conversely, declines in the short-term interest rate partially mitigated the overall rise in payments. —

Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026 If your neighbor declines the request or pushes back, stay calm, avoid escalation, and seek alternative solutions, Grotts says. —

Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 12 Jan. 2026 If Colorado declines to write a new plan, the EPA could impose one on the state. —

Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 9 Jan. 2026

Noun

This week's declines leave the S&P 500 down almost 30 percent from their October 2025 peaks. —

Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 8 Feb. 2026 Countries around the world experiencing their own population declines are now watching closely to see what South Korea does next. —

Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026 When consumers lose access to credit, spending declines. —

Julio Fuentes, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026 The drop was most pronounced among Democrats, but independents and Republicans respondents also showed 10- and 9-point declines in negative sentiment, respectively. —

Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026 Beyond the fire, Bass has pointed to progress on homelessness as a central pillar of her reelection case, highlighting the Inside Safe initiative and declines in street homelessness in some parts of the city. —

Teresa Liu, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026 Financial data providers bore the brunt of investor anxiety over the new release, with FactSet Research Systems dropping 10%, while S&P Global, Moody’s, and Nasdaq all saw sharp declines. —

Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026 Since 2000, those non-California metros have had declines 22% of the time. —

Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 31 Jan. 2026 While positive sentiment can fuel rallies, negative sentiment or regulatory uncertainty can just as easily trigger steep declines. —

Ethan Stone, IndyStar, 30 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for declines

Verb

One of the most dominant factions that refuses to die?

— Olivia Allen, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
The film sensitively and disarmingly refuses to other the subculture at its core — a clever way of making the particular feel universal.

— Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026