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as in to plunge
to lead or extend downward the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

decline

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noun

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word decline different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of decline are refuse, reject, repudiate, and spurn. While all these words mean "to turn away by not accepting, receiving, or considering," decline often implies courteous refusal especially of offers or invitations.

declined his party's nomination

When might refuse be a better fit than decline?

While in some cases nearly identical to decline, refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for.

refused to lend them the money

When would reject be a good substitute for decline?

The words reject and decline can be used in similar contexts, but reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding.

rejected the manuscript as unpublishable

When is it sensible to use repudiate instead of decline?

The synonyms repudiate and decline are sometimes interchangeable, but repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance.

teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents

Where would spurn be a reasonable alternative to decline?

While the synonyms spurn and decline are close in meaning, spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation.

spurned his overtures of friendship

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of decline
Verb
Prior to the release, President Trump on Tuesday blamed persistently weak home sales on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, and the central bank's reluctance to lower interest rates, which would likely contribute to mortgage rates declining. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025 The wrestler had first been pitched a TV series in 2002, but declined. Angela Andaloro, People.com, 24 July 2025
Noun
Charter Communications continues to lose video and broadband customers as legacy cable giants face increasing competition from YouTube and other streaming-era competitors and the decline of traditional TV to reach and retain video viewers. Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025 The sales drop was led primarily by a 9% fall in North America and declines in Europe and Asia-Pacific. Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 25 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for decline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decline
Verb
  • Bondi earlier this week refused to answer questions from reporters about the Epstein files.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 July 2025
  • Her heir-apparent will have diminished authority, impossible expectations, and the unenviable task of modernizing an institution whose departing leader refuses to depart.
    Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
Verb
  • Thompson didn’t deny the rumors and hard launched their relationship with a post of his own featuring Megan to his IG, recapping their Bahamas trip.
    Michael Saponara, Billboard, 22 July 2025
  • But Iran denies any such ambition to build a nuclear bomb, and accuses Israel of being the main aggressor in the region.
    Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • More aggressive treatment options Advertisement In particularly severe cases—especially when someone has an underlying autoimmune disease—OTC eye drops and lifestyle modifications will likely fall short.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 21 July 2025
  • According to data from professional services giant PwC, global M & A volumes fell 9% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, but deal values were up by 15%.
    Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • While the fintech company presents a mixed investment profile with strong balance sheet metrics offset by deteriorating growth and profitability challenges, the index inclusion provides near-term support for a stock that has demonstrated extreme volatility lately.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
  • The two deteriorating sites are both on the radar of municipal officials.
    Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • This would decrease in the following months to reach a low of 41 percent in April.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
  • Older people may have decreased appetites or struggle to shop for food and prepare meals.
    Paula Span, Miami Herald, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • Khloé Kardashian is spotted wearing a brown outfit with a plunging neckline and a chunky silver necklace while enjoying dinner in Malibu with Kris Jenner (not pictured).
    Escher Walcott, People.com, 21 July 2025
  • The Israeli military campaign against Hamas in Gaza has since killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to health officials, displaced almost the entire population and plunged the enclave into a humanitarian crisis.
    Nidal al-Mughrabi, USA Today, 21 July 2025
Noun
  • Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2025
  • The art replaces a previous one that was located on Lake Street and removed in 2018 because of deterioration.
    Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • Where corporate criminal investigations resolve without filing any criminal charges (through a declination or deferred prosecution agreement), companies should expect victims to still voice their views loudly to the Justice Department and beyond.
    Lisa Zornberg, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
  • The sun's changing declination is what determines whether the sun's rays strike us at a low angle or more directly.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Decline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decline. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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