Synonyms of declining

declining 1 of 3

adjective

di-ˈklī-niŋ 

as in bowing

bending downward or forward

the declining flowers perked up with the gentle rainfall

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bowing
• nodding
• weeping
• falling
• declined
• bowed
• descending
• hanging
• sagging
• dangling
• hung
• drooping
• inclining
• floppy
• stooping
• descendant
• sinking
• pendulous
• droopy
• suspended
• dipping
• slumping
• pendent
• limp

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• upright
• rigid
• erect
• stiff
• elevated
• inflexible
• unbending
• raised
• upraised

declining

2 of 3

noun

as in decline

Related Words

• decline
• deterioration
• decay
• decaying
• degeneration
• waning
• decadence
• fading
• declension
• wilting
• withering
• dying
• shriveling
• ebbing
• descent
• demise
• death
• decease
• perishing
• expiration
• exit
• regression
• expiry
• reversion
• expiring
• retrogression
• end

Dissimilar Words

• growth
• development
• maturing
• maturation
• ripening
• flowering
• flourishing
• softening
• blossoming
• mellowing

declining

3 of 3

verb

present participle of decline

1

as in refusing

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

• refusing
• rejecting
• ignoring
• denying
• passing
• dismissing
• avoiding
• withdrawing
• spurning
• disputing
• disapproving
• vetoing
• forbidding
• repudiating
• turning down
• throwing over
• passing up
• balking (at)
• reprobating
• throwing out
• nixing
• deselecting
• negativing
• prohibiting
• overruling
• rebuffing
• disdaining
• scouting
• turning one's back on
• retracting
• renouncing
• blowing off
• proscribing
• scorning
• revoking
• shooting down
• contradicting
• disavowing
• recalling
• refuting
• sticking
• abstaining (from)
• recanting
• abjuring
• bypassing
• taking back
• forbearing
• disclaiming
• disproving
• forswearing
• refraining (from)
• negating
• disowning
• rebutting
• unsaying
• controverting
• gainsaying
• disagreeing (with)
• detouring
• disallowing
• backing off
• backtracking
• backing down
• reneging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accepting
• approving
• agreeing (to)
• receiving
• taking
• adopting
• swallowing
• tolerating
• embracing
• welcoming
• agreeing
• choosing
• selecting
• consenting
• acceding
• condoning
• supporting
• countenancing
• assenting
• acquiescing
• espousing
• handpicking

2

as in denying

to be unwilling to grant

declined our request to hold a party

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refusing
• denying
• rejecting
• withholding
• disapproving
• disallowing
• forbidding
• prohibiting
• keeping
• restricting
• reprobating
• negativing
• vetoing
• nixing
• banning
• restraining
• enjoining
• proscribing
• checking
• holding
• curbing
• impeding
• spurning
• hindering
• rebuffing
• repelling
• constraining
• repressing
• obstructing
• balking (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• granting
• permitting
• providing
• letting
• allowing
• supplying
• giving
• conceding
• furnishing
• affording
• authorizing
• licensing
• commissioning
• acquiescing
• OK'ing
• agreeing (to)
• warranting
• according
• consenting (to)
• assenting (to)
• acceding (to)
• sanctioning
• vouchsafing

3

as in falling

to go to a lower level especially abruptly

new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years

Synonyms & Similar Words

• falling
• plunging
• dipping
• tumbling
• plummeting
• dropping
• decreasing
• sinking
• descending
• skidding
• lowering
• crashing
• diminishing
• cratering
• diving
• dwindling
• retreating
• nose-diving
• waning
• subsiding
• ebbing
• drooping
• dying (down)
• lessening
• moderating
• tapering off
• abating
• receding
• letting up
• de-escalating

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rising
• arising
• ascending
• mounting
• soaring
• increasing
• lifting
• growing
• expanding
• building
• spiking
• escalating
• swelling
• accumulating
• intensifying
• enlarging
• burgeoning
• upping
• picking up
• mushrooming
• waxing
• snowballing
• ballooning

4

as in deteriorating

to become worse or of less value

his reputation as a writer began to decline not long after his death

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deteriorating
• worsening
• crumbling
• descending
• diminishing
• degenerating
• ebbing
• sinking
• rotting
• decaying
• devolving
• regressing
• weakening
• retrograding
• atrophying
• dwindling
• disintegrating
• waning
• falling
• sagging
• downsizing
• reducing
• going to pot
• receding
• slipping
• going to seed
• decomposing
• degrading
• undermining
• souring
• corrupting
• failing
• dilapidating
• moldering
• abating
• lessening
• lagging
• putrefying
• lowering
• languishing
• debilitating
• drooping
• spoiling
• flagging
• de-escalating
• wasting (away)
• wilting
• running down
• breaking down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improving
• ameliorating
• upgrading
• enhancing
• bettering
• strengthening
• meliorating
• intensifying
• developing
• heightening
• proceeding
• enriching
• progressing
• advancing
• fortifying
• marching

5

as in decreasing

to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

the winds should decline as soon as the cold front passes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• decreasing
• diminishing
• subsiding
• falling
• shrinking
• vanishing
• ebbing
• dwindling
• waning
• easing
• tapering
• moderating
• lowering
• receding
• dropping (off)
• weakening
• dying (away or down or out)
• lessening
• draining (away)
• falling away
• tapering off
• relenting
• evaporating
• ratcheting (down)
• remitting
• abating
• racheting (down)
• letting up
• collapsing
• phasing down
• palling
• de-escalating
• contracting
• compressing
• melting (away)
• slackening
• fading (away)
• alleviating
• condensing
• constricting
• slowing (down)
• frittering (away)
• petering (out)
• tailing (off)
• relaxing
• flagging
• giving out
• sinking
• deflating
• caving (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increasing
• growing
• rising
• expanding
• building
• mounting
• escalating
• swelling
• soaring
• accumulating
• intensifying
• enlarging
• burgeoning
• emerging
• appearing
• picking up
• mushrooming
• waxing
• snowballing
• ballooning
• showing up
• lengthening
• blowing up
• elongating
• distending

6

as in plunging

to lead or extend downward

the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles

Synonyms & Similar Words

• falling
• plunging
• descending
• sinking
• dropping
• sloping
• dipping
• leaning
• tilting
• inclining
• angling
• tipping
• slanting
• reclining
• listing
• cocking
• canting
• heeling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rising
• ascending
• arising
• mounting
• climbing
• uprising
• evening
• upsweeping
• upturning
• flattening
• straightening
• smoothing
• planing
• leveling

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of declining

Adjective

While pruning, remove any winter damage, along with dead and declining growths, to allow new shoots to reform the plant. — Tom MacCubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 6 Mar. 2021

In order to reopen, counties must demonstrate declining prevalence of COVID-19, testing ability of 30 tests per 10,000 residents per week, contact tracing and isolation facilities. — Fox News, 15 May 2020

During replanting, remove dead and declining portions, including old roots. — Tom MacCubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, 26 May 2018

According to a new analysis by the McKinsey Global Institute, 81 percent of the United States population is in an income bracket with flat or declining income over the last decade. — Neil Irwin, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2016

Noun

Reports showing inflation and unemployment declining have subsequently been released, and a nominee for the Federal Reserve chairman role has since been announced. — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026

Verb

Farage did not give a victory speech after declining to attend the declaration, claiming police had warned of a campaign to disrupt it. — Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026

Is the town’s population growing or declining, and by how much? — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026

And then, this week, a new report showing inflation declining again could encourage an interest rate cut, if not when the bank meets again in September, then potentially later in the year. — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

The plan also was approved amid declining attendance and a number of artists pulling out of shows after the name change. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026

The proportion of students who go straight to college from high school has been declining dramatically. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026

The actual term is narrower, and research has found traditional hypergamy declining as women’s educational attainment has risen. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026

The market treats each shock as the one that finally tips the consumer over, and the consumer, so far, keeps declining the invitation. — Nigel Morris, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, has released reports on declining inventories based on budget documents and other public information. — ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026