decline

[ dih-klahyn ]

verb (used with object)

, de·clined, de·clin·ing.

1. to withhold or deny consent to do, enter into or upon, etc.; refuse:

   He declined to say more about it.

   Synonyms: reject

2. to express inability or reluctance to accept; refuse with courtesy:

   to decline an invitation; to decline an offer.

3. to cause to slope or incline downward.
4. Grammar.
   1. to inflect (a noun, pronoun, or adjective), as Latin puella, declined puella, puellae, puellae, puellam, puella in the five cases of the singular.
   2. 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)

, de·clined, de·clin·ing.

1. to express courteous refusal; refuse:

   We sent him an invitation but he declined.

2. to bend or slant down; slope downward; descend:

   The hill declines to the lake.

   Antonyms: rise

3. (of pathways, routes, objects, etc.) to follow a downward course or path:

   The sun declined in the skies.

4. to draw toward the close, as the day.
5. to fail in strength, vigor, character, value, etc.; deteriorate.

   Synonyms: languish, diminish, weaken, decay, degenerate

   Antonyms: improve

6. to fail or dwindle; sink or fade away:

   to decline in popularity.

7. to descend, as to an unworthy level; stoop.
8. Grammar. to be characterized by declension.

noun

1. a downward slope; declivity.

   Synonyms: hill

2. a downward movement, as of prices or population; diminution:

   a decline in the stock market.

3. a failing or gradual loss, as in strength, character, power, or value; deterioration:

   the decline of the Roman Empire.

   Synonyms: enfeeblement, degeneration, retrogression

4. a gradual deterioration of the physical powers, as in later life or in disease:

   After his seventieth birthday he went into a decline.

5. progress downward or toward the close, as of the sun or the day.
6. the later years or last part:

   He became an editor in the decline of his life.

decline

/ dɪˈklaɪn /

verb

1. to refuse to do or accept (something), esp politely
2. intr to grow smaller; diminish

   demand has declined over the years

3. to slope or cause to slope downwards
4. intr to deteriorate gradually, as in quality, health, or character
5. See conjugate
   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

1. gradual deterioration or loss
2. a movement downwards or towards something smaller; diminution
3. a downward slope; declivity
4. archaic.
   any slowly progressive disease, such as tuberculosis

Derived Forms

• deˈclinable, adjective
• deˈcliner, noun

Other Words From

• de·cliner noun
• prede·cline verb (used with object) predeclined predeclining
• rede·cline verb redeclined redeclining noun
• unde·clined adjective
• unde·clining adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of decline¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; (verb) Middle English declinen, from Old French: “to inflect, turn aside, sink,” from Latin dēclīnāre “to slope, incline, bend”; compare Greek klī́nein “to lean” ( lean ¹ ); (noun) Middle English declin, from Old French, derivative of decliner

Word History and Origins

Origin of decline¹

C14: from Old French decliner to inflect, turn away, sink, from Latin dēclīnāre to bend away, inflect grammatically

Synonym Study

See refuse ¹.

Example Sentences

Police Superintendent Michael Harrison said the decline was a result of an effort to decrease gang violence.

From The Daily Beast

The loss of this “expectation” game began his decline and ultimate withdrawal from the race.

From The Daily Beast

When A Christmas Carol was published just in time for the Christmas of 1843, the holiday had been in a long decline in England.

From The Daily Beast

Thanks to CompStat and strategies added by Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, crime continued to decline.

From The Daily Beast

America, Stephens writes, is not necessarily in “decline” but rather “retreat.”

From The Daily Beast

I am ready Madam,—for I have sufficiently experienced the folly of my presuming to decline it.

From Project Gutenberg

And I, for one, absolutely decline to believe in this preposterous story of his about a bull-dog.

From Project Gutenberg

He continued active till his 35th year, when he began to decline, and died of water in the chest.

From Project Gutenberg

They are made in kindness, and show interest, but if you decline seeing such callers, there is no offence given.

From Project Gutenberg

If your state of health deprives you of appetite, it is bad enough for you to decline the invitation to dine out.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• decrease
• dip
• downturn
• drop
• drop-off
• loss
• slide
• slump