decline
verb (used with object)
to withhold or deny consent to do, enter into or upon, etc.; refuse.
have declined
-
present perfectof decline.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
A decade after the eruption, it’s possible that 4.8 billion people lack such freshwater, while the world’s population may have declined to 7.9 billion due to spikes in elderly and infant mortality.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
In recent years, as global warming has intensified droughts and heated rivers, salmon numbers have declined dramatically.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Over the years, their numbers have declined sharply because of deforestation, habitat loss and hunting.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Electric sales have declined after a $7,500 federal tax credit was phased out.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
On this account belief in magic ought not to have declined until the nineteenth century, or even later.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
