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

Hur’s film declines to name a culprit, and its detractors argue the open ending points the finger at Park Chung-hee or his government. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026

Don’t wait until performance declines to question your systems, structure or strategy. — James Barlow, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Assuming Holmes declines that option and becomes a free agent, the Cubs will be dealing with a set of circumstances similar to what led them to acquire him from the New York Mets at the trade deadline. — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

In Ghana, for instance, the ten shrines of the Asante Traditional Buildings are endangered as traditional stewardship by master craftspeople declines. — News Desk, Artforum, 2 Oct. 2026

Research from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) finds that worker productivity declines as temperatures rise. — Mitch New, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026

The companies offered more customer assurances in July, alongside more service protections that would enable customers to obtain temporary access to alternative rail services in the event of performance declines. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026

Bottura, who declines cooking at most food events nowadays, was driving when Gelb called to invite him to Utah and Las Vegas. — Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026

The foliage usually declines toward the end of summer and can be trimmed back. — Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 22 Sep. 2026

Noun

Another major challenge is intensifying domestic competition and labor shortages as Japan’s birth rate declines and its population ages, Nagai said. — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026

This year’s drought across western Japan, with some meteorologists comparing it to the country’s worst drought in more than 30 years, is already being tied to yield declines in official data. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026

The stock declines meant that Nike’s market capitalization was no longer representative of the S&P 100 range. — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026

Russell, who would have been an attractive option at one point, has seen declines in efficiency in recent years. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

This situation is urgent with most bird populations facing significant declines. — Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026

But the increase is not enough to make up for declines elsewhere in the district. — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2026