DECLINING Synonyms: 355 Similar and Opposite Words

declining 1 of 3

adjective

di-ˈklī-niŋ

Definition of declining

as in bowing

bending downward or forward the declining flowers perked up with the gentle rainfall

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declining

2 of 3

noun

as in decline

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declining

3 of 3

verb

present participle of decline

as in refusing

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

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as in denying

to be unwilling to grant declined our request to hold a party

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as in falling

to go to a lower level especially abruptly new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years

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as in deteriorating

to become worse or of less value his reputation as a writer began to decline not long after his death

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as in decreasing

to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the winds should decline as soon as the cold front passes

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as in plunging

to lead or extend downward the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of declining

Adjective

While pruning, remove any winter damage, along with dead and declining growths, to allow new shoots to reform the plant. — Tom MacCubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 6 Mar. 2021 In order to reopen, counties must demonstrate declining prevalence of COVID-19, testing ability of 30 tests per 10,000 residents per week, contact tracing and isolation facilities. — Fox News, 15 May 2020 During replanting, remove dead and declining portions, including old roots. — Tom MacCubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, 26 May 2018 According to a new analysis by the McKinsey Global Institute, 81 percent of the United States population is in an income bracket with flat or declining income over the last decade. — Neil Irwin, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2016

Noun

When Russians embrace the Eurasian narrative, they are also engaged in the political project of rejecting Europe and the West, which Putin and his allies deride as decadent, declining, and immoral. — Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 Reports showing inflation and unemployment declining have subsequently been released, and a nominee for the Federal Reserve chairman role has since been announced. — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026

Verb

Only its convenient foods division in Europe, the Middle East and Africa reported declining volume, of 1%. — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026 Since the 1960s, bowling as a business has fallen, with the number of bowling centers in the United States declining by roughly 75% from a peak of about 12,000 to some 3,000. — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026 Health experts say more people are getting sick due to declining vaccination rates in children, largely fueled by growing vaccine skepticism. — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 James, the New York state attorney general, will lead a criminal investigation into the Cornell Seven case after public backlash over the local district attorney declining to pursue charges. — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 Local media rights make up a shrinking percentage of that pie, declining from 23% of the average team’s revenue in 2022 to 17% in 2025. — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2026 Wall Streeters thus far have largely been uneasy about the company’s $79 billion in debt and dependence on declining businesses like linear television. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026 By 2024, that network’s administrators announced plans to close seven of its 15 schools, citing declining enrollment and significant operating costs. — Mailee Smith, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 Local officials and school leaders have linked the shortage of family housing to declining enrollment in the Davis Joint Unified School District, which is weighing school closures. — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for declining

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

Definition of nodding

Noun

Huawei's push into the smartphone market comes as sales in China have slumped this year, with a double-digit decline year-on-year in August and September, according to Counterpoint Research.

— Matthew Tan,Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
The co-CEOs have modeled a cash ramp-up in coming years but meanwhile there’s not a big cushion if churn rises, cable-network declines accelerate, the box office softens again or there’s macroeconomic or geopolitical disruption.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of decline

Verb

People have moved so aggressively along the learning curve that those challenges are falling by the wayside.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Paired with an all-leather ensemble, pants and pointed-toe pumps included, the hair screamed ’80s rom-com star, the curls falling toward her face in a single swift motion.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of falling

Verb

The sketch took aim at reports of deteriorating conditions aboard the aircraft carrier, including plumbing issues and mental-health struggles among the crew during their extended deployment.

— Anna Tingley, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Massillon’s courage Throughout the attacks, Massillon was the first official to alert journalists, describing the deteriorating security situation while also appealing for help.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of deteriorating

Verb

Academics and researchers have proposed a wide variety of causes for the crisis, like changes in the economy, decreasing social connections, access to firearms, and the pandemic.

— Darius Tahir, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Overall sales have been on a downward trend since the gallery’s founding, decreasing by about 40 percent over the past three years.

— News Desk, Artforum, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of decreasing

Verb

Those winds are full of snow and ice, and bring gusts of 150-200 kilometers per hour, plunging temperatures to minus 60 to 80 degrees Celsius (minus 79 to minus 112 Fahrenheit).

— Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
De Ramon wore an off-the-shoulder sheer gown with a plunging sweetheart neckline that led into a corset bodice.

— Erin Wisti, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of plunging

Cite this Entry

Style

“Declining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declining. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of declining

adjective

noun

verb

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