as in bowing
bending downward or forward
the declining flowers perked up with the gentle rainfall
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in decline
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in denying
to be unwilling to grant
declined our request to hold a party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of declining
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
The team then built mathematical models using the same data to assess how declining immunity might affect the susceptibility of the U.S. population.
—Roni Dengler, Science | AAAS, 21 Mar. 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
Matt Richardson, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2026
The grand jury had the options of handing up an indictment, declining to indict and issuing a report known as a presentment.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Hospitals blame the service cuts on high costs, labor shortages and declining birth rates, according to a 2024 report.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
An increase in heart rate means the stroke volume, or the amount of blood pumped with each beat, may be declining, causing your heart to beat more frequently to push the same volume to the muscles.
—Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026
Should investors begin to anticipate a future change to the Fed's approach, longer-term rates could start declining in advance.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Theo the Jacksonville Zoo's 13-year-old capybara, was euthanized due to declining health and age-related issues.
—Beth Reese Cravey, Florida Times-Union, 26 Mar. 2026
But growth in the Houston area as a whole slowed as a result of declining international migration as well, albeit to a lesser extent than Harris County alone.
—Sam González Kelly, Houston Chronicle, 26 Mar. 2026
Carvalho and district officials have acknowledged a multibillion-dollar reserve but have insisted that ongoing commitments and declining revenue are on track to exhaust those reserves in about three years, unless the district adopts austerity measures.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
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
The team then built mathematical models using the same data to assess how declining immunity might affect the susceptibility of the U.S. population.
—Roni Dengler, Science | AAAS, 21 Mar. 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
While the data show overall birth outcomes improving — declining rates of prematurity, low birth weight, and infant mortality — disparities are still prevalent, particularly for Black women.
—Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2026
The grand jury had the options of handing up an indictment, declining to indict and issuing a report known as a presentment.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Hospitals blame the service cuts on high costs, labor shortages and declining birth rates, according to a 2024 report.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
An increase in heart rate means the stroke volume, or the amount of blood pumped with each beat, may be declining, causing your heart to beat more frequently to push the same volume to the muscles.
—Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026
Should investors begin to anticipate a future change to the Fed's approach, longer-term rates could start declining in advance.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Theo the Jacksonville Zoo's 13-year-old capybara, was euthanized due to declining health and age-related issues.
—Beth Reese Cravey, Florida Times-Union, 26 Mar. 2026
But growth in the Houston area as a whole slowed as a result of declining international migration as well, albeit to a lesser extent than Harris County alone.
—Sam González Kelly, Houston Chronicle, 26 Mar. 2026
Carvalho and district officials have acknowledged a multibillion-dollar reserve but have insisted that ongoing commitments and declining revenue are on track to exhaust those reserves in about three years, unless the district adopts austerity measures.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declining
Noun
-
She was obligated to sing her big barnstormers on loop, which offered fans a cruel barometer by which to judge her decline.—
Matt Weinstock,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Goldman Sachs said the recent pullback in gold prices was largely in line with historical patterns, citing higher interest rate expectations and market volatility as key drivers behind the decline.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has broadly defended his aggressive deportation campaign and blamed local officials for refusing to cooperate.—
Suryatapa Chakraborty,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Douglas said some providers fear losing positions or facing consequences for refusing to treat patients or perform actions that violate their ethical principles.—
Lucas Aulbach,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sorokin was locked in from the drop of the puck, denying Colin Blackwell on a shorthanded breakaway 10 minutes in and making a handful of other 10-bell saves on quality scoring chances in the first period alone.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Wasn’t Israel already systematically denying medical, food and fuel relief headed to Gaza?—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Violent crime rates were falling well before the surge, in line with national trends.—
Cleve R. Wootson Jr. The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Swiss stocks show resilience By contrast, UBS said Swiss equities offer less exposure to energy disruptions at an attractive valuation point after falling more than 10% since the start of the conflict.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Now the war has turned into a race to stabilize the rapidly deteriorating global economic order, central to which is reopening the Strait of Hormuz.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Her mother, Maria Alejandra, had told me in long, vivid emails about some of more serious concerns about her and her daughter’s deteriorating mental and physical health during their prolonged detention.—
Mica Rosenberg,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The situation mirrors a recent case in Sweetwater, where hundreds of families were also displaced under similar terms, with financial incentives decreasing the longer residents wait to leave.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Higher rates can help tame inflation and allow savers to earn more interest on their accounts, while lower rates can help stimulate the economy by decreasing borrowing costs.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The peace talks -- which Iranian officials denied -- sent the price of oil plunging on Monday on hopes that negotiations could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end a weeks-long global energy shock.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, oil prices are plunging.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.—
Aylin Woodward,
WSJ,
21 Dec. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Declining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declining. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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