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   decline

   /dɪˈklʌɪn/

   verb

   • 1. (typically of something regarded as good) become smaller, fewer, or less; decrease: "the birth rate continued to decline" Similar decreasereduceget smallergrow smallerlessenget lessdiminishwanedwindlecontractshrinkfall offtaper offtail offpeter outdropfallgo downsinkslumpplummetplungefall off a cliffinformal:nosedivetake a nosedivetake a headergo into a tailspincrashOpposite increase
   • ▪ diminish in strength or quality; deteriorate: "her health began to decline" Similar deterioratedegeneratedecaycrumblecollapsefailfallsinkslumpslipslidego downhillworsenget worsego to rack and ruinstagnateatrophywitherweakenfadefade awaywaneebbbe abandonedbe neglectedbe disregardedbe forgotteninformal:go to potgo to the dogshit the skidsgo down the toiletgo down the tubesgo to the packrare:retrogradeOpposite flourish
   • 2. politely refuse (an invitation or offer): "Caroline declined the coffee" Similar turn downrejectbrush asiderefuserebuffspurndisdainlook down one's nose atrepulserepudiatedismissforgodeny oneselfpass uprefuse to take advantage ofturn one's back onabstain (from)say no toshake one's headsend one's regretsinformal:give the thumbs down (to)give the red light (to)give something a missgive someone the brush-offknock backsnoutOpposite accept
   • 3. (especially of the sun) move downwards: "the sun began to creep round to the west and to decline"
   • ▪ bend down; droop: archaic "the wearisome creatures of the world declining to their rest"
   • 4. (in the grammar of Latin, Greek, and certain other languages) state the forms of (a noun, pronoun, or adjective) corresponding to case, number, and gender.

   noun

   • 1. a gradual and continuous loss of strength, numbers, quality, or value: "a serious decline in bird numbers" Similar reductiondecreasedownturndownswingloweringdevaluationdepreciationlesseningdiminishingdiminutionslackeningwaningdwindlingfadingebbfalling offabatementdropslumpplungetumbledowntickinformal:nosedivecrashlet-updeteriorationdegenerationdegradationshrinkageshrinkingwitheringatrophyweakeningenfeeblementfallfailuredeathdecaydecayingdated:decadencerare:devolutionOpposite increase
   • ▪ the sun's gradual setting: "this Evening from the Sun's decline arriv'd"
   • ▪ a disease in which the bodily strength gradually fails, especially tuberculosis: "he died at his brother's of a deep decline"

   Word Origin late Middle English: from Old French decliner, from Latin declinare ‘bend down, turn aside’, from de- ‘down’ + clinare ‘to bend’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. declinable adjective
   • 2. decliner noun

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • D

     2

   • E

     1

   • C

     3

   • L

     1

   • I

     1

   • N

     1

   • E

     1

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