decline
verb (used with object)
to withhold or deny consent to do, enter into or upon, etc.; refuse.
have been declining
-
present perfect progressiveof decline.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For years, movie ticket sales have been declining, because of this shift from seeing the consumer not as a customer to please, but a mark to suck dry.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
Rates on CDs hit 5% a few years ago, but they have been declining along with the Federal Reserve’s benchmark rate.
From MarketWatch ● May 27, 2026
Drinking rates among young people have been declining for more than two decades, says John Holmes, professor of alcohol policy at the University of Sheffield.
From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026
Populations of Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, Delta smelt and other species have been declining in recent years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 4, 2025
England to-day is not self-supporting, her rural industries have been declining for years, and the country receives from abroad the far larger quantity of its food and raw material.
From The Scrap Book, Volume 1, No. 1 March 1906 by Various
