as in bowing
bending downward or forward
we awaited our punishment with declined heads
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in refused
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in denied
to be unwilling to grant
declined our request to hold a party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fell
to go to a lower level especially abruptly
new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deteriorated
to become worse or of less value
his reputation as a writer began to decline not long after his death
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in decreased
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the winds should decline as soon as the cold front passes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in plunged
to lead or extend downward
the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of declined
Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
That tax collector, Cheryl Blogoslawski, was suspended from her job in January, not long after a new mayor, Democrat Bobby Sanchez, took office after Stewart declined to seek a seventh two-year term.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
In Langesfeld’s case, Oscar Health repeatedly declined to cover the costly cancer-fighting drug therapy, arguing that the prescribed drug was not medically necessary or federally approved to treat his type of cancer.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
Piracy off Somalia’s coast, once among the most dangerous in the world, has declined significantly over the past decade due to international naval patrols and improved maritime security.
—ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
Snelling declined to provide many specifics on the case at the news conference, including how the suspect got the gun.
—Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
His attorney declined to speak on camera but issued a statement.
—Abby Dodge, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
Green declined to comment to USA TODAY.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The trade group, which declined interview requests from NBC News, has long pitched the same argument to policymakers.
—Rich Bellis, NBC news, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
Westerheide declined to answer follow-up questions about the Patton autopsy.
—Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
That tax collector, Cheryl Blogoslawski, was suspended from her job in January, not long after a new mayor, Democrat Bobby Sanchez, took office after Stewart declined to seek a seventh two-year term.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
In Langesfeld’s case, Oscar Health repeatedly declined to cover the costly cancer-fighting drug therapy, arguing that the prescribed drug was not medically necessary or federally approved to treat his type of cancer.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
Piracy off Somalia’s coast, once among the most dangerous in the world, has declined significantly over the past decade due to international naval patrols and improved maritime security.
—ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
Snelling declined to provide many specifics on the case at the news conference, including how the suspect got the gun.
—Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
His attorney declined to speak on camera but issued a statement.
—Abby Dodge, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
Green declined to comment to USA TODAY.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The trade group, which declined interview requests from NBC News, has long pitched the same argument to policymakers.
—Rich Bellis, NBC news, 11 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declined
Verb
-
Meanwhile, Larysa was stuck in Belarus, a country allied with Russia that Nataliia despised and had refused to move to, despite her daughter’s many pleas.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The Nuggets refused to engage, declining to respond on the off day.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But the country’s leader, Miguel Díaz-Canel, has denied Cuba has political prisoners and has stressed that his government is not negotiating any internal political matters with the United States.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Beyoncé's publicist has denied rumors that the singer's next album will be released the week of the Met Gala.—
Caché McClay,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the piece, the Vicar of Christ is felled not by his oppressors but rather by a random cosmic event.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Jeff Shell, now felled from his presidency of Paramount, is living proof.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His mental health has severely deteriorated, his financial situation is terrible, and his drug dependency is at its worst.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
An old male Japanese macaque maintained alpha status as his ability to walk deteriorated, but only through an alliance with the alpha female.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Palestinian voter turnout has gradually decreased over the past elections.—
SAM METZ,
Arkansas Online,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The issue has broad effects, affecting not just the victim but families, co-workers and community while harming mental and physical health, causing decreased productivity and decreasing one’s quality of life.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At its center is the story of a boy named Zac Brettler, who in November 2019, at the age of nineteen, plunged to his death from a balcony on the fifth floor of an upscale apartment complex a few minutes’ walk along the Thames from Tate Britain.—
Mark O’Connell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Milei’s popularity plummets amid corruption scandal in Argentina Argentinian President Javier Milei’s popularity plunged to a new low, as rising unemployment and a burgeoning corruption scandal threatened his ambitious economic program and prospects for reelection next year.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.—
Aylin Woodward,
WSJ,
21 Dec. 2021
Verb
-
At one point, Iran asked to move its games to Mexico, but that request was rejected.—
Anne M. Peterson,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
Voters in a 1986 retention election rejected Rose Bird, the chief justice of the California Supreme Court, and two liberal colleagues, over dissatisfaction with decisions overturning numerous death penalty sentences.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Declined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declined. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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