decline

1 of 2

verb

de·cline di-ˈklīn How to pronounce decline (audio)

dē-

declined; declining

intransitive verb

: to become less in amount

The price of the stock declined.

: to tend toward an inferior state or weaker condition

his health declined

Employee morale declined after the layoffs.

: to withhold consent

We invited him but he declined.

of a celestial body : to sink toward setting

the declining sun

: to draw toward a close : wane

the day declined

: to slope downward : descend

: to bend down : droop

… eyes … declining toward the ground …

Henry Fielding

: to stoop (see stoop entry 1 sense 3b) to what is unworthy

… the direful shameful state Adam declined into …

Edward Taylor

archaic : to turn from a straight course : stray

transitive verb

: to refuse especially courteously

decline an invitation

declined to give her name to the reporter

: to refuse to undertake, undergo, engage in, or comply with

decline battle

grammar : to give in prescribed order the grammatical forms of (a noun, pronoun, or adjective)

decline the Latin adjective "brevis"

: to cause to bend or bow downward

… the clover … declines its blooms.

W. C. Bryant

obsolete

: avert

… evasions are sought to decline the pressure of resistless arguments …

Samuel Johnson

: avoid

… sinners … despairing to decline their fate …

Thomas Ken

declinable

di-ˈklī-nə-bəl How to pronounce decline (audio)

adjective

decliner

di-ˈklī-nər How to pronounce decline (audio)

noun

decline

2 of 2

noun

de·cline di-ˈklīn How to pronounce decline (audio)

dē-,

also

ˈdē-ˌklīn

: the process of declining:

a period of economic decline

a decline in the local bird population

: a gradual physical or mental sinking and wasting away

experiencing a mental decline

: a change to a lower state or level

the decline of the aristocracy

: the period during which something is deteriorating or approaching its end

an empire in decline

: a downward slope

built on a slight decline

: a wasting disease

especially : pulmonary tuberculosis

Example Sentences

Verb The construction of new houses declined five percent this year. The animal's numbers are declining rapidly. My grandmother's health has been declining since she broke her hip. The civilization began to decline around 1000 B.C. The company declined comment on the scandal. He changed his mind and declined the company's offer. I invited him, but he declined. Noun a period of economic decline He says that American industry is in a state of decline. The town fell into decline after the factory closed down. The economy experienced a decline of two million jobs. We saw a sharp decline in sales this month. Declines led advances at the end of the trading day. There was some decline in stock prices at the end of the trading session. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Arthur Less, the protagonist of Andrew Sean Greer’s Pulitzer-winning 2017 novel Less, cobbled together an around-the-world tour as an excuse to decline an invitation to the wedding of an ex-boyfriend.

Chloe Schama, Vogue, 14 Sep. 2022 Other data from companies like Apartment List, which tracks prices of new apartments and leases, suggests that rental price inflation is starting to decline.

Christopher Rugaber, ajc, 13 Sep. 2022 Other data from companies like Apartment List, which tracks prices of new apartments and leases, suggests that rental price inflation is starting to decline.

Christopher Rugaber, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Sep. 2022 Our agave plant has a tall flower stalk that is starting to decline.

Tom Maccubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Sep. 2022 My daughters decided on their own to decline the invitation.

Amy Dickinson, Chicago Tribune, 9 Sep. 2022 My daughters decided on their own to decline the invitation.

Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 My daughters decided on their own to decline the invitation.

Amy Dickinson, cleveland, 9 Sep. 2022 An insurer, however, is free to decline to renew your policy but only after giving you at least 45 days’ notice prior to expiration.

Sean P. Murphy, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022

Noun

Aging monkeys experience cognitive, physical and sensory decline as well as a variety of illnesses, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, much like aging people.

Agnès Lacreuse, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2022 Imagine if this anonymous staffer were given an op-ed in the New York Times to claim that a cadre of old-time Democrats were shocked by Biden’s cognitive decline and resisting his directives.

Michael Silver, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Aug. 2022 There was good news as well: The study found almost no cognitive decline in dogs below the age of 10.

Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 26 Aug. 2022 The condition can also cause cognitive decline over time.

Glenn Garner, Peoplemag, 20 Aug. 2022 Other researchers have also reported amyloid in the retinas of people whose PET scans show amyloid plaques but who do not show signs of cognitive decline.

Diana Kwon, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2022 Even though hearing loss can lead to depression, cognitive decline, and social isolation.

Howard Gleckman, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2022 Health experts say that untreated hearing loss can contribute to cognitive decline and depression in older people.

Christina Jewett, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Aug. 2022 Over that time period, people who continually worked low wage jobs toward the end of their life suffered one more year of cognitive decline than those who did not work low wage jobs.

Christine Mui, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2022 See More

Kids Definition

decline 1 of 2

verb

de·cline di-ˈklīn How to pronounce decline (audio)

declined; declining

: to bend or slope downward

The road declines into the valley.

: to pass toward a lower, worse, or weaker level

Her health declined.

: to refuse to accept, do, or agree

decline an invitation

decline to leave

decline

2 of 2

noun

: a process of becoming worse or weaker in condition At 80, Grampa is showing no signs of decline.

: a change to a lower state or level

a business decline

: the time when something is nearing its end

the empire's decline

declined 1 of 2

adjective

as in nodding

bending downward or forward we awaited our punishment with declined heads

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

erect
rigid
upright
elevated
stiff
inflexible
unbending
raised
upraised

declined

2 of 2

verb

past tense of decline

as in refused

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

refused
rejected
denied
ignored
denied
withdrew
passed
dismissed
vetoed
disputed
spurned
avoided
disapproved
nixed
repudiated
disputed
forbade
passed up
threw over
turned down
rebuffed
deselected
threw out
overruled
reprobated
negatived
disdained
balked (at)
prohibited
scouted
retracted
turned one's back on
blew off
renounced
scorned
contradicted
recalled
revoked
disavowed
proscribed
recanted
refuted
forbore
disclaimed
shot down
gainsaid
backtracked
took back
rebutted
stuck
abjured
bypassed
detoured
forbad
disowned
negated
disallowed
reneged
disproved
forswore
controverted
backed off
unsaid
abstained (from)
foreswore
backed down
refrained (from)
disagreed (with)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

accepted
approved
received
agreed (to)
agreed
adopted
took
welcomed
tolerated
embraced
swallowed
consented
acquiesced
chose
selected
supported
countenanced
condoned
acceded
assented
espoused
handpicked

as in denied

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

refused
denied
rejected
withheld
disapproved
disallowed
nixed
forbade
vetoed
negatived
rebuffed
reprobated
prohibited
restricted
spurned
kept
banned
enjoined
checked
restrained
proscribed
repelled
held
constrained
hindered
curbed
forbad
impeded
obstructed
repressed
balked (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

granted
permitted
allowed
let
provided
conceded
gave
afforded
supplied
furnished
authorized
okayed
commissioned
acquiesced
licensed
agreed (to)
warranted
consented (to)
assented (to)
sanctioned
acceded (to)
accorded
vouchsafed
OK'd
licenced

as in fell

to go to a lower level especially abruptly new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years

Synonyms & Similar Words

fell
plunged
dipped
dropped
tumbled
plummeted
decreased
sank
sunk
skidded
lowered
descended
dived
crashed
retreated
diminished
dwindled
nose-dived
cratered
dove
waned
subsided
ebbed
drooped
lessened
moderated
receded
abated
tapered off
let up
de-escalated
died (down)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rose
soared
increased
lifted
arose
spiked
ascended
upped
mounted
expanded
grew
escalated
intensified
built
swelled
accumulated
enlarged
ballooned
mushroomed
burgeoned
waxed
snowballed
bourgeoned
picked up

as in deteriorated

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

deteriorated
worsened
descended
crumbled
diminished
sank
fell
ebbed
sunk
degenerated
regressed
devolved
weakened
decayed
dwindled
atrophied
waned
rotted
reduced
receded
retrograded
sagged
disintegrated
slipped
ran to seed
downsized
went to pot
degraded
went to seed
soured
undermined
failed
decomposed
abated
lowered
lessened
lagged
languished
de-escalated
drooped
flagged
corrupted
dilapidated
spoiled
debilitated
broke down
spoilt
moldered
putrefied
wilted
ran down
wasted (away)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

improved
upgraded
proceeded
intensified
ameliorated
enhanced
developed
meliorated
progressed
strengthened
heightened
enriched
bettered
marched
advanced
fortified

as in decreased

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

decreased
diminished
fell
subsided
shrank
eased
shrunk
vanished
dwindled
waned
ebbed
receded
relented
lowered
moderated
lessened
weakened
fell away
abated
tapered off
tapered
remitted
let up
palled
evaporated
dropped (off)
phased down
de-escalated
contracted
drained (away)
racheted (down)
collapsed
ratcheted (down)
slackened
died (away or down or out)
compressed
condensed
alleviated
flagged
gave out
relaxed
constricted
sank
sunk
faded (away)
melted (away)
petered (out)
deflated
slowed (down)
tailed (off)
frittered (away)
caved (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

increased
expanded
rose
grew
soared
built
escalated
intensified
swelled
accumulated
appeared
enlarged
emerged
mounted
ballooned
mushroomed
burgeoned
waxed
snowballed
lengthened
bourgeoned
picked up
blew up
elongated
distended
showed up

as in plunged

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

fell
plunged
descended
dropped
sank
dipped
sunk
leaned
sloped
tipped
inclined
listed
tilted
angled
cocked
slanted
reclined
heeled
canted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rose
climbed
arose
ascended
mounted
upturned
flattened
straightened
smoothed
uprose
levelled
leveled
planed
evened
upswept

单词	declined
释义	decline 1 of 2 verb de·cline di-ˈklīn dē- declined; declining intransitive verb 1 : to become less in amount The price of the stock declined. 2 : to tend toward an inferior state or weaker condition his health declined Employee morale declined after the layoffs. 3 : to withhold consent We invited him but he declined. 4 a of a celestial body : to sink toward setting the declining sun b : to draw toward a close : wane the day declined 5 a : to slope downward : descend b : to bend down : droop … eyes … declining toward the ground … Henry Fielding c : to stoop (see stoop entry 1 sense 3b) to what is unworthy … the direful shameful state Adam declined into … Edward Taylor 6 archaic : to turn from a straight course : stray transitive verb 1 a : to refuse especially courteously decline an invitation declined to give her name to the reporter b : to refuse to undertake, undergo, engage in, or comply with decline battle 2 grammar : to give in prescribed order the grammatical forms of (a noun, pronoun, or adjective) decline the Latin adjective "brevis" 3 : to cause to bend or bow downward … the clover … declines its blooms. W. C. Bryant 4 obsolete a : avert … evasions are sought to decline the pressure of resistless arguments … Samuel Johnson b : avoid … sinners … despairing to decline their fate … Thomas Ken declinable di-ˈklī-nə-bəl adjective decliner di-ˈklī-nər noun decline 2 of 2 noun de·cline di-ˈklīn dē-, also ˈdē-ˌklīn 1 : the process of declining: a period of economic decline a decline in the local bird population a : a gradual physical or mental sinking and wasting away experiencing a mental decline b : a change to a lower state or level the decline of the aristocracy 2 : the period during which something is deteriorating or approaching its end an empire in decline 3 : a downward slope built on a slight decline 4 : a wasting disease especially : pulmonary tuberculosis Synonyms Verb balk (at) deselect disapprove negative nix pass pass up refuse reject reprobate repudiate spurn throw out throw over turn down Noun debilitation decay decaying declension degeneration descent deterioration ebbing enfeeblement weakening See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Verb The construction of new houses declined five percent this year. The animal's numbers are declining rapidly. My grandmother's health has been declining since she broke her hip. The civilization began to decline around 1000 B.C. The company declined comment on the scandal. He changed his mind and declined the company's offer. I invited him, but he declined. Noun a period of economic decline He says that American industry is in a state of decline. The town fell into decline after the factory closed down. The economy experienced a decline of two million jobs. We saw a sharp decline in sales this month. Declines led advances at the end of the trading day. There was some decline in stock prices at the end of the trading session. See More Recent Examples on the Web Verb Arthur Less, the protagonist of Andrew Sean Greer’s Pulitzer-winning 2017 novel Less, cobbled together an around-the-world tour as an excuse to decline an invitation to the wedding of an ex-boyfriend. Chloe Schama, Vogue, 14 Sep. 2022 Other data from companies like Apartment List, which tracks prices of new apartments and leases, suggests that rental price inflation is starting to decline. Christopher Rugaber, ajc, 13 Sep. 2022 Other data from companies like Apartment List, which tracks prices of new apartments and leases, suggests that rental price inflation is starting to decline. Christopher Rugaber, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Sep. 2022 Our agave plant has a tall flower stalk that is starting to decline. Tom Maccubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Sep. 2022 My daughters decided on their own to decline the invitation. Amy Dickinson, Chicago Tribune, 9 Sep. 2022 My daughters decided on their own to decline the invitation. Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 My daughters decided on their own to decline the invitation. Amy Dickinson, cleveland, 9 Sep. 2022 An insurer, however, is free to decline to renew your policy but only after giving you at least 45 days’ notice prior to expiration. Sean P. Murphy, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 Noun Aging monkeys experience cognitive, physical and sensory decline as well as a variety of illnesses, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, much like aging people. Agnès Lacreuse, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2022 Imagine if this anonymous staffer were given an op-ed in the New York Times to claim that a cadre of old-time Democrats were shocked by Biden’s cognitive decline and resisting his directives. Michael Silver, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Aug. 2022 There was good news as well: The study found almost no cognitive decline in dogs below the age of 10. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 26 Aug. 2022 The condition can also cause cognitive decline over time. Glenn Garner, Peoplemag, 20 Aug. 2022 Other researchers have also reported amyloid in the retinas of people whose PET scans show amyloid plaques but who do not show signs of cognitive decline. Diana Kwon, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2022 Even though hearing loss can lead to depression, cognitive decline, and social isolation. Howard Gleckman, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2022 Health experts say that untreated hearing loss can contribute to cognitive decline and depression in older people. Christina Jewett, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Aug. 2022 Over that time period, people who continually worked low wage jobs toward the end of their life suffered one more year of cognitive decline than those who did not work low wage jobs. Christine Mui, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Verb and Noun Middle English, from Anglo-French decliner, from Latin declinare to turn aside, inflect, from de- + clinare to incline — more at lean First Known Use Verb 14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 6 Noun 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Phrases Containing decline in terminal decline on the decline in decline in terminal decline on the decline in decline Kids Definition decline 1 of 2 verb de·cline di-ˈklīn declined; declining 1 : to bend or slope downward The road declines into the valley. 2 : to pass toward a lower, worse, or weaker level Her health declined. 3 : to refuse to accept, do, or agree decline an invitation decline to leave decline 2 of 2 noun 1 : a process of becoming worse or weaker in condition At 80, Grampa is showing no signs of decline. 2 : a change to a lower state or level a business decline 3 : the time when something is nearing its end the empire's decline Medical Definition decline 1 of 2 intransitive verb de·cline di-ˈklīn declined; declining : to tend toward an impaired state or a weaker condition decline 2 of 2 noun 1 : the process of declining especially : a gradual physical or mental sinking and wasting away 2 : the period during which the end of life is approaching 3 : a wasting disease especially : pulmonary tuberculosis declined 1 of 2 adjective as in nodding bending downward or forward we awaited our punishment with declined heads Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance nodding bowing bowed declining falling weeping hung hanging descending inclining dangling drooping stooping descendant sagging suspended descendent floppy sinking pendulous droopy pendant slumping dipping pendent limp Antonyms & Near Antonyms erect rigid upright elevated stiff inflexible unbending raised upraised See More declined 2 of 2 verb past tense of decline 1 as in refused 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 refused rejected denied ignored denied withdrew passed dismissed vetoed disputed spurned avoided disapproved nixed repudiated disputed forbade passed up threw over turned down rebuffed deselected threw out overruled reprobated negatived disdained balked (at) prohibited scouted retracted turned one's back on blew off renounced scorned contradicted recalled revoked disavowed proscribed recanted refuted forbore disclaimed shot down gainsaid backtracked took back rebutted stuck abjured bypassed detoured forbad disowned negated disallowed reneged disproved forswore controverted backed off unsaid abstained (from) foreswore backed down refrained (from) disagreed (with) Antonyms & Near Antonyms accepted approved received agreed (to) agreed adopted took welcomed tolerated embraced swallowed consented acquiesced chose selected supported countenanced condoned acceded assented espoused handpicked See More 2 as in denied to be unwilling to grant declined our request to hold a party Synonyms & Similar Words refused denied rejected withheld disapproved disallowed nixed forbade vetoed negatived rebuffed reprobated prohibited restricted spurned kept banned enjoined checked restrained proscribed repelled held constrained hindered curbed forbad impeded obstructed repressed balked (at) Antonyms & Near Antonyms granted permitted allowed let provided conceded gave afforded supplied furnished authorized okayed commissioned acquiesced licensed agreed (to) warranted consented (to) assented (to) sanctioned acceded (to) accorded vouchsafed OK'd licenced See More 3 as in fell to go to a lower level especially abruptly new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years Synonyms & Similar Words fell plunged dipped dropped tumbled plummeted decreased sank sunk skidded lowered descended dived crashed retreated diminished dwindled nose-dived cratered dove waned subsided ebbed drooped lessened moderated receded abated tapered off let up de-escalated died (down) Antonyms & Near Antonyms rose soared increased lifted arose spiked ascended upped mounted expanded grew escalated intensified built swelled accumulated enlarged ballooned mushroomed burgeoned waxed snowballed bourgeoned picked up See More 4 as in deteriorated to become worse or of less value his reputation as a writer began to decline not long after his death Synonyms & Similar Words deteriorated worsened descended crumbled diminished sank fell ebbed sunk degenerated regressed devolved weakened decayed dwindled atrophied waned rotted reduced receded retrograded sagged disintegrated slipped ran to seed downsized went to pot degraded went to seed soured undermined failed decomposed abated lowered lessened lagged languished de-escalated drooped flagged corrupted dilapidated spoiled debilitated broke down spoilt moldered putrefied wilted ran down wasted (away) Antonyms & Near Antonyms improved upgraded proceeded intensified ameliorated enhanced developed meliorated progressed strengthened heightened enriched bettered marched advanced fortified See More 5 as in decreased to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the winds should decline as soon as the cold front passes Synonyms & Similar Words decreased diminished fell subsided shrank eased shrunk vanished dwindled waned ebbed receded relented lowered moderated lessened weakened fell away abated tapered off tapered remitted let up palled evaporated dropped (off) phased down de-escalated contracted drained (away) racheted (down) collapsed ratcheted (down) slackened died (away or down or out) compressed condensed alleviated flagged gave out relaxed constricted sank sunk faded (away) melted (away) petered (out) deflated slowed (down) tailed (off) frittered (away) caved (in) Antonyms & Near Antonyms increased expanded rose grew soared built escalated intensified swelled accumulated appeared enlarged emerged mounted ballooned mushroomed burgeoned waxed snowballed lengthened bourgeoned picked up blew up elongated distended showed up See More 6 as in plunged to lead or extend downward the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles Synonyms & Similar Words fell plunged descended dropped sank dipped sunk leaned sloped tipped inclined listed tilted angled cocked slanted reclined heeled canted Antonyms & Near Antonyms rose climbed arose ascended mounted upturned flattened straightened smoothed uprose levelled leveled planed evened upswept See More
随便看	sanctimoniousnesses sanctimony sanction sanctionable sanctionative sanctioned sanctioner sanctioners sanctioning sanctions sanctities sanctitude sanctitudes sanctity sanctoral sanctorale sanctorium sanctuaried sanctuaries sanctuarise sanctuarised sanctuarises sanctuarising sanctuarize sanctuarized

decline

verb

noun

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing decline

Kids Definition

verb

noun

Medical Definition

intransitive verb

noun

adjective

verb