Pronunciations (2)
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/dɪˈklaɪn/
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dɪˈklaɪn
Noun
Downward movement, fall.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- of an event or occurrence
- Synonyms
- Examples
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The aircraft went into a sudden decline before the pilot regained control.
A sloping downward, e.g. of a hill or road.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- of a physical state
- Examples
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After taking a right from that turn a decline will come into view.
A deterioration of condition; a weakening or worsening.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Synonyms
- Examples
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He has experienced a sudden decline in his health.
Educational standards are on the decline.
More examples (2)
The country's global reputation is in decline.
In an era when political leaders promise deliverance from decline through America’s purported preeminence in scientific research, the news that science is in deep trouble in the United States has been as unwelcome as a diagnosis of leukemia following the loss of health insurance.
A reduction or diminution of activity, prevalence or quantity.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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Population decline is a major concern.
Town-centre retailers have seen a decline in footfall.
More examples (2)
It is also pertinent to note that the current obvious decline in work on holarctic hepatics most surely reflects a current obsession with cataloging and with nomenclature of the organisms—as divorced from their study as living entities.
"It knows it has to plan for managed decline, but it can't even plan for managed decline if it doesn't know how much decline to manage."
The act of declining or refusing something.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
The issuing bank only checks the consumer's credit card number for authorization. […] Soft declines are those declines in which the bank requires further verification.
Verb
To move downwards, to fall, to drop.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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The dollar has declined rapidly since 2001.
More examples (1)
Only empirical observation, and not deduction from the nature of the profit rate, can tell us whether it does tend permanently to decline; and such observation is not found to confirm Marx's theory.
To become weaker or worse.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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My health declined in winter.
After her sother died, Connie began to decline noticeably.
More examples (1)
Will this decision-making paralysis continue until Great British Railways has been established and settled into a new rhythm? If so, passengers on the West of England line are in for a rough ride, as the reliability of these tired old British Rail trains inevitably declines, and maintenance costs rise.
To bend downward; to bring down; to depress; to cause to bend, or fall.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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in melancholy site, with head declined
And now faire Phoebus gan decline in hast / His weary wagon to the Westerne vale.
To cause to decrease or diminish.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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You have declin'd his means.
He knoweth his error, but will not seek to decline it.
To turn or bend aside; to deviate; to stray; to withdraw.
- Examples
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a line that declines from straightness
conduct that declines from sound morals
More examples (1)
Yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.
To choose not to do something; refuse, forbear, refrain.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Could I decline this dreadful hour?
More examples (1)
“[…] This is Mr. Churchill, who, as you are aware, is good enough to come to us for his diaconate, and, as we hope, for much longer; and being a gentleman of independent means, he declines to take any payment.” Saying this Walden rubbed his hands together and smiled contentedly.
On reflection I think I will decline your generous offer.
To inflect for case, number, gender, and the like.
Usage- Transitive
- usually
- of substantives
- Synonyms
To recite all the different declined forms of (a word): to recite its declension.
Usage- Transitive
- Synonyms
- Examples
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after the first declining of a noun and a verb
To run through from first to last; to recite in order as though declining a noun.
Usage- broadly
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Decline all this, and see what now thou art. For happy wife, a most distressed widow; For joyful mother, one that wails the name; For one being sued to, one that humbly sues; For queen , a very caitiff crown'd with care[…]
To reject a penalty against the opposing team, usually because the result of accepting it would benefit the non-penalized team less than the preceding play.
Usage- Canadian
- Examples
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The team chose to decline the fifteen-yard penalty because their receiver had caught the ball for a thirty-yard gain.
Noun
change toward something smaller or lower
- Synonyms
a condition inferior to an earlier condition; a gradual falling off from a better state; decline
- Synonyms
- Antonyms
a gradual decrease; as of stored charge or current
- Synonyms
a downward slope or bend
Verb
grow worse
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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Conditions in the slum worsened
not accept as true
- Broader terms
- Examples
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He refused to accept what she said
show unwillingness towards
- Synonyms
- Examples
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he declined to join the group on a hike
grow smaller
- Examples
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Interest in the project waned
go down
- Broader terms
- Examples
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The roof declines here
fall in value
- Examples
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the stock market corrected
prices slumped
inflect for number, gender, case, etc.
- Broader terms
- Examples
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in many languages, speakers decline nouns, pronouns, and adjectives