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- pronunciation:
- dih
klaIn
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb, noun
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb, noun), Grammatical Patterns, Word Parts
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
declines, declining, declined |
| definition 1: |
to refuse in a civil or polite way (to do or to give something).
The mayor declined to be interviewed.[verb + infinitive
]
The candidate declined to predict the outcome of the election.[verb + infinitive
]
The police arrested a suspect in the incident but declined to give details.[verb + infinitive
]
The reporters asked the actress about the incident, but she declined comment.- synonyms:
- refuse
- similar words:
- deny
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| definition 2: |
to politely refuse (a thing).
I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline your offer.We were busy and had to decline the invitation.- synonyms:
- refuse, reject
- antonyms:
- accept
- similar words:
- deny, rebuff
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| definition 3: |
to cause to slope downward.
The elderly man declined his easy chair so that he could more easily get out of it.- synonyms:
- slope
- similar words:
- descend, dip, plunge, sink, slant
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| definition 4: |
in grammar, to list systematically all the inflected forms of (a noun, adjective, or pronoun).
I still remember how to decline the Russian pronouns. |
| related words: |
pass up, reject, scorn |
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| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| definition 1: |
to refuse politely.
He asked her to dance, but she declined.- synonyms:
- demur, refuse
- antonyms:
- accept
- similar words:
- balk, protest
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| definition 2: |
to grow weaker or diminish gradually.
My father's health is declining and he can no longer live alone.His fortune has declined in recent years.- synonyms:
- abate, decrease, degenerate, deteriorate, ebb, fail, fall, flag, lessen, sink, wane, weaken
- antonyms:
- blossom, thrive
- similar words:
- collapse, decay, diminish, drop off, dwindle, fade away, fall off, lag, languish, perish, peter out, shrivel, slip, subside, taper, waste
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| definition 3: |
to slope or incline downward.
The road declines sharply here, so put the truck in low gear.- synonyms:
- descend, dip, fall, plunge, sink, slope
- similar words:
- slant
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| related words: |
abstain, age, ail, decrease, dip, fall, lessen, refuse, relapse, sag, shrink, slump, suffer, trail, tumble, wane, weaken, wilt |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
a falling off or loss.
I've noticed a decline in my strength recently.Last year, there was a decline in the number of crimes in the city.- synonyms:
- deterioration, diminution, drop, ebb, loss, wane
- antonyms:
- development, growth, rise
- similar words:
- atrophy, decrease, dip, downturn, evening, failing, failure, regression, sag
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| definition 2: |
movement downward.
This chart shows the decline in profits over the last six months.- synonyms:
- downswing, downturn, drop-off, fall, plunge
- similar words:
- down, lowering, nose dive, recession, regression, slump
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| definition 3: |
a downward slope.
There is a decline in the road just ahead.- synonyms:
- declivity, dip, downgrade, drop-off
- similar words:
- down, drop, fall, grade, incline, pitch, ramp, slant, slope
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| related words: |
bathos, bust, collapse, decay, depression, dip, ebb, fall, lapse, tumble, twilight, wane |
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| derivations: |
declinable (adj.), decliner (n.) |
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