decline
verb (used with object)
to withhold or deny consent to do, enter into or upon, etc.; refuse.
were declining
-
past progressiveof decline.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Loans from Idera, SmartBear and Perforce were declining even before late January.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026
Morgan argued, because Dell pre-bought many components when prices were declining.
From Barron's ● Nov. 17, 2025
Scientists said "predominant threats" were declining fish stocks, noise pollution, and entanglements with lost fishing gear.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2025
We could see that shrimp populations in the wild were declining in certain areas, for example.
From Slate ● Nov. 14, 2024
And from what my new friends were telling me, their numbers were declining.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
