26984 words

decline

12 definitions • 35 examples
1

Examples:

His interest in the project declined after his wife died.
The party's popularity has declined in the opinion polls.
formal The land declines sharply away from the house.
2
to refuse:

Examples:

I invited him to the meeting but he declined.
He declined my offer.
[ + to infinitive ] They declined to tell me how they had obtained my address.
3
If a noun, pronoun, or adjective declines, it has different forms to show if it is the subject or object, etc. of a verb or if it is singular or plural, etc. If you decline such a word, you list its various forms:

Examples:

In Latin we learned how to decline nouns.
4
the process or fact of something becoming less in amount, importance, quality, or strength:

Examples:

industrial decline
in decline Home cooking seems to be in decline (= not so many people are doing it).
on the decline It is clear that teenage smoking is on the decline.
decline in a decline in the number of unemployed
5
the process or fact of someone becoming physically or mentally weaker:

Examples:

We all experience physical and cognitive decline over time.
Vitamin B may guard against mental decline.
in decline Now his health is in decline and his ambitions have been crushed.
go into a decline She seemed to be recovering and then she went into a decline.
6
to go down in amount or quality; lessen or weaken:

Examples:

His interest in the project declined after his wife died.
7
to refuse something:

Examples:

[ T ] She declined their job offer.
8
a change to a lower amount; the process of becoming less in quality or strength:

Examples:

[ C usually sing ] Unemployment increased this month after a modest decline.
[ U ] Civilization is in decline.
9
to become less, worse, or lower in value:

Examples:

Milk production could decline by 15% or more in the late summer months.
Even though interest rates could decline further, they are now near their lowest point.
Among economists, the widespread view is that the dollar will keep declining.
11
a reduction in the value or amount of something, for example a currency or sales:

Examples:

If sustained, the yen's 12.5% decline against the dollar this month may damp inflation across the region.
The housing industry experienced a decline in sales.
a rapid/sharp/steep/marked decline
a slight/slow/gradual decline
12

Examples:

Little was being done to reverse the decline in the town's tourist economy.
The industry has been in decline for decades.

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