decline
gb/dɪklˈaɪn/ us/dɪklˈaɪn/
B1
English
~ 2500
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
Politely refuse something
To say no to something in a polite way.
Usage pattern:
to decline [an offer/invitation/request]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'decline' with 'deny'. 'Deny' means to say something is not true, while 'decline' means to refuse politely.
Synonyms
refuse (More general and can sound stronger or less polite depending on tone.)
|
turn down (Informal equivalent often used in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
accept (Means to agree to an offer or invitation instead of refusing it.)
Collocations
decline an invitation
|decline an offer
|politely decline
Themes
daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She declined the invitation to the party.
- He politely declined their offer of help.
- The company declined our request for more time.
Learner examples
- I must decline your invitation.
- She declined the job offer.
- He politely declined my help.
Verb
B2
action
2
Decrease in quality or condition
To slowly get worse or weaker.
Usage pattern:
[something] declines
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'decline' with 'decrease'. 'Decrease' is more about numbers or amounts; 'decline' can refer to quality or strength too.
Synonyms
deteriorate (Used especially for quality, condition, or performance getting worse.)
Antonyms
improve (Means to get better instead of worse.)
Collocations
decline in health
|economic decline
|decline sharply
Themes
health
|economy
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- Her health began to decline after the accident.
- The company's profits have declined over the past year.
- Interest in the product is declining.
Learner examples
- My health is declining.
- Sales are declining this year.
- The old building is declining.
Noun
B2
event
3
Gradual worsening or loss
A slow process of becoming worse or weaker.
Synonyms
downturn (Often used for economic or business contexts.)
|
deterioration (General term for becoming worse over time.)
Antonyms
growth (Means an increase or improvement instead of reduction.)
Collocations
a steady decline
|economic decline
|in decline
Themes
economy
|health
|core_vocabulary
|finance
Examples
- There has been a steady decline in sales.
- The town went into decline after the factory closed.
- He is showing signs of mental decline.
Learner examples
- There is a decline in jobs.
- The country is in decline.
- Her health is in decline.
Verb
formal
B2
action
4
Decrease in amount or intensity
To become fewer, smaller, or less strong over time.
Usage pattern:
[something] declines by/from/to [number/amount]
Synonyms
drop (More informal and general for a decrease.)
|
fall (Common for quantities and prices going down.)
Antonyms
rise (Means to increase in number, amount, or intensity.)
Collocations
population decline
|decline by 10 percent
|crime rates decline
Themes
statistics
|science
|core_vocabulary
|finance
Examples
- The population has declined by 5% since last year.
- Crime rates have declined sharply.
- Attendance at the event declined from 500 to 300.
Learner examples
- Prices declined last month.
- The number of visitors declined.
- Crime rates declined this year.
Grammar
Dictionary form
decline
IPA
GB/dɪklˈaɪn/
US/dɪklˈaɪn/
Syllables & stress
de - cline (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cline)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: decline
- Plural: declines
Verb
- Base: decline
- 3rd Person Singular: declines
- Present Participle: declining
- Past: declined
Word family
Forms
declines
noun
declining
verb
declined
verb
Advanced or less common
declination
noun C1
Expressions
in decline
1/ˈɪn dɪklˈaɪn/
fixed phrase
Becoming worse over time
Getting worse slowly over time.
Examples
- The industry has been in decline for years.
- Her physical abilities are in decline.
on the decline
1/ˈɔn ðə dɪklˈaɪn/
fixed phrase
Currently getting worse or less popular
Getting worse or less popular now.
Examples
- Interest in the sport is on the decline.
- The number of new cases is on the decline.