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- pronunciation:
- dih
klaIn
- parts of speech:
- verb, noun
- features:
- Word Parts
| part of speech: |
verb |
| inflections: |
declines, declining, declined |
| definition 1: |
When you decline to do something, you say or show, in a formal or polite way, that you will not do it.
The reporters asked the actor if he was planning to marry, but he declined to answer.- synonyms:
- refuse
- similar words:
- deny
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| definition 2: |
When you decline something that is offered to you, you say no to it.
They were busy, so they had to decline the invitation.He declined the job offer because his family didn't want to move to a new place.- synonyms:
- refuse, reject
- antonyms:
- accept
- similar words:
- deny
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| definition 3: |
When something declines, it gets weaker or smaller little by little.
My mom said my uncle's health is declining and he can't live by himself anymore.- synonyms:
- decrease, deteriorate, fail, fall, lessen, wane, weaken
- similar words:
- collapse, decay, fade away, slip, waste
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| related words: |
decrease, fall, lessen, reject, scorn, suffer, wane, weaken |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition: |
A decline is a decrease or loss of something. If there is a decline in prices, it means that prices have gone down.
Scientists have noticed a decline in the number of many North American birds.- synonyms:
- deterioration, drop, loss
- antonyms:
- development, growth, rise
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| related words: |
depression, dip |
| derivations: |
declinable (adj.), decliner (n.) |
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