Synonyms for decline
verb
To refuse
reject, turn down, beg to be excused, send regrets; see refuse.
To decrease
diminish, wane, dwindle, fade; see decrease 1.
To sink slowly
descend, dip, droop, settle; see descend 1, lean 1, sink 1.
To deteriorate
fail, sink, degenerate, backslide; see decay, weaken 1. See syn. study at refuse.
See decline in Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus II
verb
To be unwilling to accept, consider, or receive:
dismiss, refuse, reject, spurn, turn down. (Slang) nix. Idiom: turn thumbs down on. See acceptTo slope downward:
descend, dip, drop, fall, pitch, sink. See riseTo become lower in quality, character, or condition:
atrophy, degenerate, descend, deteriorate, retrograde, sink, worsen. Idioms: go bad, go to pot, go to seed , go to the dogs. See betterTo lose strength or power:
degenerate, deteriorate, fade, fail, flag2, languish, sink, wane, waste (away), weaken. (Informal) fizzle (out). Idioms: go downhill, hit the skids. See increase, strong
noun
Descent to a lower level or condition:
atrophy, decadence, declension, declination, degeneracy, degeneration, deterioration. See betterA marked loss of strength or effectiveness:
declination, deterioration, failure. See increaseA usually swift downward trend, as in prices:
descent, dip, dive, downslide, downswing, downtrend, downturn, drop, drop-off, fall, nosedive, plunge, skid, slide, slump, tumble. See increaseA downward slope or distance:
declivity, descent, drop, fall, pitch. See rise
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