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decline
[ dih-klahyn ]
verb (used with object)
- to withhold or deny consent to do, enter into or upon, etc.; refuse:
He declined to say more about it.
Synonyms:
- to express inability or reluctance to accept; refuse with courtesy:
to decline an invitation; to decline an offer.
- to cause to slope or incline downward.
- Grammar.
- to inflect (a noun, pronoun, or adjective), as Latin puella, declined puella, puellae, puellae, puellam, puella in the five cases of the singular.
- to recite or display all or some subset of the inflected forms of a noun, pronoun, or adjective in a fixed order.
verb (used without object)
- to express courteous refusal; refuse:
We sent him an invitation but he declined.
- to bend or slant down; slope downward; descend:
The hill declines to the lake.
Antonyms:
- (of pathways, routes, objects, etc.) to follow a downward course or path:
The sun declined in the skies.
- to draw toward the close, as the day.
- to fail in strength, vigor, character, value, etc.; deteriorate.
Synonyms: , , , ,
Antonyms:
- to fail or dwindle; sink or fade away:
to decline in popularity.
- to descend, as to an unworthy level; stoop.
- Grammar. to be characterized by declension.
noun
- a downward slope; declivity.
Synonyms:
- a downward movement, as of prices or population; diminution:
a decline in the stock market.
- a failing or gradual loss, as in strength, character, power, or value; deterioration:
the decline of the Roman Empire.
Synonyms: , ,
- a gradual deterioration of the physical powers, as in later life or in disease:
After his seventieth birthday he went into a decline.
- progress downward or toward the close, as of the sun or the day.
- the later years or last part:
He became an editor in the decline of his life.
decline
/ ɪˈɪ /
verb
- to refuse to do or accept (something), esp politely
- intr to grow smaller; diminish
demand has declined over the years
- to slope or cause to slope downwards
- intr to deteriorate gradually, as in quality, health, or character
- grammar to state or list the inflections of (a noun, adjective, or pronoun), or (of a noun, adjective, or pronoun) to be inflected for number, case, or gender Compare conjugate
noun
- gradual deterioration or loss
- a movement downwards or towards something smaller; diminution
- a downward slope; declivity
- archaic.any slowly progressive disease, such as tuberculosis
Derived Forms
- ˈԲ, adjective
- ˈԱ, noun
Other Word Forms
- ·İ noun
- d·Ա verb (used with object) predeclined predeclining
- d·Ա verb redeclined redeclining noun
- ܲd·Ա adjective
- ܲd·iԲ adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of decline1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
The Foreign Intelligence Services and Romanian Police declined to comment on ongoing investigations.
The league declined to further comment on the matter.
Representatives for Southwest declined to provide additional comment, referring to the airline’s news release and website as sources of information about the bundles.
The Angels, declining a full rebuild or an all-in push, are back in last place.
Seemingly not trusting anyone under 70 with power — and refusing to acknowledge the legitimate concerns about aging and inevitable decline— has been tried.
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