Thesaurus
decline
verb
Synonyms and Antonyms of DECLINE
1
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to <he declined the invitation to the party> <she declined to participate in the soccer game>
Synonyms balk (at), deselect, disapprove, negative, nix, pass, pass up, refuse, reject, reprobate, repudiate, spurn, throw out, throw over, turn down
Related Words blow off, disdain, rebuff, scorn, scout, shoot down; overrule, veto; forbid, prohibit, proscribe; dismiss, ignore; abstain (from), forbear, refrain (from); deny, disavow, disclaim, dispute, gainsay; stick; abjure, forswear (also foreswear), recant, renounce, retract, take back, unsay, withdraw; avoid, bypass, detour; contradict, deny, disown, negate; controvert, disagree (with), disprove, dispute, rebut, refute; back down, back off, backtrack; disallow, recall, renege, revoke
Phrases turn one's back on
2
to be unwilling to grant <declined our request to hold a party>
Related Words ban, enjoin, forbid, prohibit, proscribe, veto; rebuff, repel, spurn; check, constrain, curb, hold, keep, repress, restrain, restrict; balk (at), hinder, impede, obstruct
3
to go to a lower level especially abruptly <new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years>
Synonyms crash, crater, decline, descend, dip, dive, fall, lower, nose-dive, plummet, plunge, sink, skid, tumble
Related Words abate, decrease, de-escalate, die (down), diminish, droop, dwindle, ebb, lessen, let up, moderate, subside, taper off, wane; recede, retreat
4
to become worse or of less value <his reputation as a writer began to decline not long after his death>
Synonyms atrophy, crumble, decay, decline, degenerate, descend, devolve, ebb, regress, retrograde, rot, sink, worsen
Related Words abate, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, recede, wane; break down, corrupt, decompose, degrade, dilapidate, disintegrate, molder, putrefy; sour, spoil; lessen, lower, reduce; debilitate, undermine; droop, fail, fall, flag, lag, languish, run down, sag, slip, waste (away), weaken, wilt
5
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually <the winds should decline as soon as the cold front passes>
Synonyms abate, decline, de-escalate, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down) also rachet (down), recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane
6
to lead or extend downward <the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles>
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