decline

de·cline

Use decline in a sentence

noun

The definition of a decline is a lessening or failing.
1. An example of decline is the collapse of the Roman Empire.
2. An example of decline is the quality of a glass of milk as it starts to sour over time.
3. An example of decline is the failing health of someone with cancer.

verb

Decline is defined as to refuse something, slope downward, become less or to sink from view.
1. An example of decline is someone saying no when they've been asked out to dinner.
2. An example of decline is a ski run.
3. An example of decline is the unemployment rate going from 9% to 7.5%.
4. An example of decline is the sun setting in the West.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"decline." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/decline>.

APA Style

decline. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/decline

decline

intransitive verb

-·clined′, -·clin′ing

to bend, turn, or slope downward or aside
1. to sink, as the setting sun
2. to approach the end; wane: the day is declining
to lessen in force, health, value, etc.; deteriorate; decay
to descend to behavior that is base or immoral
to refuse to accept or do something, esp. in a way that is formally polite

Origin of decline

Middle English declinen from Old French decliner, to bend, turn aside from Classical Latin declinare, to bend from, inflect from de-, from (see de-) + clinare, to bend: see lean

to cause to bend or slope downward or aside
to refuse, esp. in a formally polite way: I must decline your offer
Gram. to inflect (a noun, pronoun, or adjective) systematically, giving its different forms according to case, number, and gender

a declining or becoming less, smaller, etc.; decay
a failing of health, etc.
a period of decline
the last part: the decline of life
Archaic a wasting disease
a downward slope

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"decline." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/decline>.

APA Style

decline. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/decline

decline

verb

de·clined, de·clin·ing, de·clines

verb

intransitive

To express polite refusal: I wanted to invite them but I was afraid they would decline.
a. To slope downward; descend: The roof declines at a steep angle.
b. To bend downward; droop: boughs declining toward the ground.
To degrade or lower oneself; stoop: refused to decline to their level of behavior.
To deteriorate gradually; fail: His health has been declining for years.
a. To sink, as the setting sun.
b. To draw to a gradual close: We made our way home as the day declined.

verb

transitive

To refuse politely: I declined their offer of help. See Synonyms at refuse¹.
To cause to slope or bend downward.
Grammar To inflect (a noun, a pronoun, or an adjective) for number and case.

noun

The process or result of declining, especially:
a. A gradual deterioration, as in numbers, activity, or quality: “overwhelming evidence that fish stocks … are in decline” ( Jonathan Bocknek )
b. A downward movement or fall, as in price.
c. A deterioration of health: the patient's rapid decline.
A downward slope; a declivity: the sharp decline of the dunes to the sea.

Origin of decline

Middle English declinen from Old French decliner from Latin dēclīnāre to turn away, bend downward, change the form of a word dē- de- -clīnāre to lean, bend ; see klei- in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

de·clin′a·ble
adjective

de·clin′er
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"decline." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/decline>.

APA Style

decline. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/decline

Noun

(plural declines)

Downward movement, fall.
A sloping downward, e.g. of a hill or road.
A weakening.
A reduction or diminution of activity.

Antonyms

incline

Verb

(third-person singular simple present declines, present participle declining, simple past and past participle declined)

(intransitive) To move downwards, to fall, to drop.
The dollar has declined rapidly since 2001.
(intransitive) To become weaker or worse.
My health declined in winter.
To bend downward; to bring down; to depress; to cause to bend, or fall.
To cause to decrease or diminish.
To turn or bend aside; to deviate; to stray; to withdraw.
a line that declines from straightness
conduct that declines from sound morals
To refuse, forbear.
On reflection I think I will decline your generous offer.
(grammar, of substantives, usually nouns, adjectives and pronouns) To inflect for case, number and sometimes gender.
(by extension) To run through from first to last; to repeat like a schoolboy declining a noun.

Origin

From Middle English declinen, from Old French decliner, from Latin declinare (“to bend, turn aside, deflect, inflect, decline”), from de (“down”) + clīnō (“I bend, I incline”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱley- (English lean).

See also: decliné

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"decline." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/decline>.

APA Style

decline. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/decline

decline - Medical Definition

v.

To deteriorate gradually; fail: health that has been declining for years.

n.

The process or result of declining, especially a deterioration of health: the patient's rapid decline.

Related Forms:

de·clin′a·ble
adj.

de·clin′er
n.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"decline." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/decline>.

APA Style

decline. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/decline

Synonyms

SentencesSentence examples

decline

decline

decline

decline - Medical Definition

Sentence Examples

Also Mentioned In

Words near decline in the dictionary

decline

decline

decline

decline - Medical Definition

Sentence Examples

Also Mentioned In

Words near decline in the dictionary

Join YourDictionary today