English noun: decline | |||
1. | decline (process) change toward something smaller or lower | ||
Synonyms | diminution | ||
Broader (hypernym) | decrease, decrement | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | declension, decline in quality, deterioration, detumescence, ebb, ebbing, erosion, loss, nosedive, sinking spell, slippage, wane, worsening | ||
2. | decline (state) a condition inferior to an earlier condition; a gradual falling off from a better state | ||
Synonyms | declination | ||
Broader (hypernym) | condition, status | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | disuse, neglect, twilight, wreck | ||
Antonyms | melioration, improvement | ||
3. | decline (process) a gradual decrease; as of stored charge or current | ||
Synonyms | decay | ||
Broader (hypernym) | decrease, decrement | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | exponential decay, exponential return | ||
4. | decline (object) a downward slope or bend | ||
Synonyms | declension, declination, declivity, descent, downslope, fall | ||
Broader (hypernym) | incline, side, slope | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | downhill, steep | ||
Antonyms | acclivity, ascent, climb, upgrade, raise, rise | ||
English verb: decline | |||
1. | decline (change) grow worse | ||
Samples | Conditions in the slum worsened. | ||
Examples | The stock market is going to decline , The business is going to decline | ||
Synonyms | worsen | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s. Somebody ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | change state, turn | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | come down, degenerate, deprive, deteriorate, devolve, drop, drop away, drop off, fail, fall away, impoverish, inflame, lose, regress, retrograde, retrogress, sicken, slip, suffer, suffer, tumble, turn down | ||
Antonyms | ameliorate, improve, meliorate, better | ||
2. | decline (possession) refuse to accept | ||
Samples | He refused my offer of hospitality. | ||
Examples | They decline the money | ||
Synonyms | pass up, refuse, reject, turn down | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s something from somebody | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | bounce, dishonor, dishonour | ||
Verb group | disdain, freeze off, pooh-pooh, reject, scorn, spurn, turn down | ||
Antonyms | accept, take, have | ||
3. | decline (communication) show unwillingness towards | ||
Samples | He declined to join the group on a hike. | ||
Examples | They decline to move | ||
Synonyms | refuse | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody. Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE | ||
Broader (hypernym) | react, respond | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | contract out, disdain, disobey, freeze off, pooh-pooh, regret, reject, repudiate, scorn, spurn, turn down | ||
Antonyms | consent, go for, accept | ||
4. | decline (change) grow smaller | ||
Samples | Interest in the project waned. | ||
Synonyms | go down, wane | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | decrease, diminish, fall, lessen | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | dip, drop, wear on | ||
5. | decline (motion) go down | ||
Samples | The roof declines here. | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s. Something is ----ing PP | ||
Broader (hypernym) | drop | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | dip, sink | ||
6. | decline (motion) go down in value | ||
Samples | The stock market corrected. Prices slumped. | ||
Synonyms | correct, slump | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | come down, descend, fall, go down | ||
7. | decline (communication) inflect for number, gender, case, etc., | ||
Samples | In many languages, speakers decline nouns, pronouns, and adjectives. | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | inflect | ||