decline
noun
Definitions of decline noun
- B2UncountableSingular
a reduction in amount, importance, quality, or strength
the decline of the manufacturing sector
Traditional retail is in decline over time.
a drop in the rate of unemployment
verb
Definitions of decline verb
decrease
- B2Intransitive
to diminish gradually in amount, quality, or intensity
His interest in city life declined after he moved to the countryside.
The company's sales have been steadily declining.
The road declines from the peak of the mountain.
refuse
- B2TransitiveIntransitiveformal
to politely refuse an offer or invitation
She invited him to the dinner party, but he declined.
He declined the job offer politely.
They declined to give any information on the matter.
grammar
- TransitiveIntransitivelanguagespecialized
to inflect a noun, pronoun, or adjective by changing its form to show grammatical case, number, or gender
Learning Ancient Greek involves learning how to decline nouns.
This grammar exercise focuses on how to decline verbs.
Idioms
- someone's declining years
The final years of a person's life, often associated with declining health or physical strength.
• In his declining years, he found it difficult to stay active.