1
as in to refuse
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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2
as in to deny
to be unwilling to grant
declined our request to hold a party
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3
as in to fall
to go to a lower level especially abruptly
new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years
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4
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
his reputation as a writer began to decline not long after his death
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5
as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the winds should decline as soon as the cold front passes
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6
as in to plunge
to lead or extend downward
the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles
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1
as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
her sad decline from a robust athlete to an old woman with arthritis
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2
as in declination
a change to a lower state or level
the decline of the Roman Empire
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3
as in downhill
a downward slope
the bicyclist lost control on the unexpectedly steep decline
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4
as in demise
a loss of status
the engagement at the small club was an unmistakable sign of the rock band's decline
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5
as in decrease
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
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Recent Examples of decline
Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2025
The hospital declined to comment on the details of Black’s case.
—Cara Anthony, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
That 1% decline ranked 13th biggest.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decline
Verb
His speech declined as did his mental status.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2025
The hospital declined to comment on the details of Black’s case.
—Cara Anthony, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
Revenue has increased by over 8% in the last twelve months, while American Eagle has experienced a slight decline.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
That 1% decline ranked 13th biggest.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decline
Verb
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The search giant has refused to license content from news organizations and publishers, while other AI labs have done licensing deals.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
-
For Jordan, that battle has meant staying grounded in his faith and refusing to let the disease isolate him.—
Essence,
Essence,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Alan Jackson, a lawyer for Joaquin, denied the charges.—
Luc Cohen,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
As press secretary, Jean-Pierre repeatedly denied reports regarding Biden’s mental fitness during his time in office.—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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National Weather Service meteorologists consider forecasting waterspouts during the late summer and fall whenever large, cool air masses overspread the waters of the Great Lakes.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The Department of Buildings told CBS News New York and News 12 Long Island that a 10-by-10-inch section of the ceiling collapsed due to possible water damage, and pieces of the building fell on customers dining inside.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In San Francisco, a development called Hunters View built in 1956 to provide temporary workforce housing was still inhabited and badly deteriorating by the early 2000s.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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But the relations have deteriorated significantly since the start of the war in Gaza, with Israeli officials voicing growing anger at Qatar, accusing the government of harboring Hamas and not putting enough pressure on it to agree to a ceasefire.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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They’re formulated with hydrating ingredients designed to decrease puffiness and help with dark circles.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
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Darrow says the orchard’s acreage has decreased by half, mirroring the state’s overall decline since 2000.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The design featured a plunging V-neck design that stopped at her navel, a skirt decorated in fringe and floral appliqués placed throughout.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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The graft and fraud investigations signal that state corruption which helped plunge Greece into a 2009-2018 debt crisis persists, despite reforms and tough austerity under three international bailouts.—
Angeliki Koutantou,
Reuters,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Initial jobless claims indicate only a minimal pickup in layoffs and/or deterioration in labor conditions at present, a positive dynamic.—
Jeffrey Schulze,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The largest member of the grass family, bamboo is combustible, susceptible to deterioration and weaker in rain, raising legitimate questions about its durability, Arup’s Ho said.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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On those three dates, variations in the moon's position relative to Earth's equator — particularly its declination — can influence tidal forces that subtly affect Earth's rotation rate.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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Where corporate criminal investigations resolve without filing any criminal charges (through a declination or deferred prosecution agreement), companies should expect victims to still voice their views loudly to the Justice Department and beyond.—
Lisa Zornberg,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decline. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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