Declining — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun verb /di-ˈklī-niŋ/ de·clin·ing

Meaning & Definition of Declining

Declining (adjective)

  1. of or relating to the period during which something is deteriorating or nearing its end

Declining (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. bending downward or forward

    "the declining flowers perked up with the gentle rainfall"

    similar: bowed, bowing, declined, descendant, descending, drooping, droopy, hanging, hung, inclining, nodding, pendulous, sagging, stooping, weeping
    related: floppy, limp, dangling, falling, pendent, suspended, dipping, sinking, slumping
    opposite: unbending, upright
    near: erect, inflexible, rigid, stiff, elevated, raised, upraised

Declining (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in decline, deterioration

    similar: decadence, decay, decaying, declension, decline, degeneration, descent, deterioration, ebbing, fading, shriveling, waning, wilting, withering, death, decease, demise, dying, end, exit, expiration, expiring, expiry, perishing, regression, retrogression, reversion
    opposite: development, growth, maturation, maturing, ripening, blossoming, flourishing, flowering, mellowing, softening

Declining (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: balking (at), deselecting, disapproving, negativing, nixing, passing, passing up, refusing, rejecting, reprobating, repudiating, spurning, throwing out, throwing over, turning down, turning one's back on
    related: blowing off, disdaining, rebuffing, scorning, scouting, shooting down, overruling, vetoing, forbidding, prohibiting, proscribing, dismissing, ignoring, abstaining (from), forbearing, refraining (from), denying, disavowing, disclaiming, disputing, gainsaying, sticking, abjuring, forswearing, recanting, renouncing, retracting, taking back, unsaying, withdrawing, avoiding, bypassing, detouring, contradicting, disowning, negating, controverting, disagreeing (with), disproving, rebutting, refuting, backing down, backing off, backtracking, disallowing, recalling, reneging, revoking
    opposite: accepting, agreeing (to), approving
    near: condoning, countenancing, swallowing, tolerating, adopting, embracing, receiving, taking, welcoming, acceding, acquiescing, agreeing, assenting, consenting, choosing, handpicking, selecting, espousing, supporting

  2. to be unwilling to grant

    "declined our request to hold a party"

    similar: denying, disallowing, disapproving, negativing, nixing, refusing, rejecting, reprobating, withholding
    related: banning, enjoining, forbidding, prohibiting, proscribing, vetoing, rebuffing, repelling, spurning, checking, constraining, curbing, holding, keeping, repressing, restraining, restricting, balking (at), hindering, impeding, obstructing
    opposite: allowing, conceding, granting, letting, OK'ing, permitting
    near: affording, furnishing, giving, providing, supplying, authorizing, commissioning, licensing, acceding (to), acquiescing, agreeing (to), assenting (to), consenting (to), warranting, according, sanctioning, vouchsafing

  3. to go to a lower level especially abruptly

    "new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years"

    similar: crashing, cratering, descending, dipping, diving, dropping, falling, lowering, nose-diving, plummeting, plunging, sinking, skidding, tumbling
    related: abating, decreasing, de-escalating, diminishing, drooping, dwindling, dying (down), ebbing, lessening, letting up, moderating, subsiding, tapering off, waning, receding, retreating
    opposite: arising, ascending, lifting, mounting, rising, soaring, spiking, upping
    near: accumulating, ballooning, building, burgeoning, enlarging, escalating, expanding, growing, increasing, intensifying, mushrooming, picking up, snowballing, swelling, waxing

  4. to become worse or of less value

    "his reputation as a writer began to decline not long after his death"

    similar: atrophying, crumbling, decaying, degenerating, descending, deteriorating, devolving, ebbing, regressing, retrograding, rotting, sinking, worsening, going to pot, going to seed
    related: abating, de-escalating, diminishing, downsizing, dwindling, receding, waning, breaking down, corrupting, decomposing, degrading, dilapidating, disintegrating, moldering, putrefying, souring, spoiling, lessening, lowering, reducing, debilitating, undermining, drooping, failing, falling, flagging, lagging, languishing, running down, sagging, slipping, wasting (away), weakening, wilting
    opposite: ameliorating, improving, meliorating
    near: bettering, upgrading, enhancing, enriching, fortifying, heightening, intensifying, strengthening, advancing, developing, marching, proceeding, progressing

  5. to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

    "the winds should decline as soon as the cold front passes"

    similar: abating, decreasing, de-escalating, diminishing, draining (away), dropping (off), dwindling, dying (away or down or out), easing, ebbing, falling, falling away, lessening, letting up, lowering, moderating, palling, phasing down, ratcheting (down), receding, relenting, remitting, shrinking, subsiding, tapering, tapering off, waning
    related: compressing, condensing, constricting, contracting, evaporating, fading (away), frittering (away), giving out, melting (away), petering (out), tailing (off), vanishing, slackening, slowing (down), alleviating, relaxing, flagging, sinking, weakening, caving (in), collapsing, deflating
    opposite: accumulating, ballooning, building, burgeoning, enlarging, escalating, expanding, growing, increasing, intensifying, mounting, mushrooming, picking up, rising, snowballing, soaring, swelling, waxing
    near: appearing, emerging, showing up, blowing up, distending, elongating, lengthening

  6. to lead or extend downward

    "the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles"

    similar: descending, dipping, dropping, falling, plunging, sinking
    related: angling, canting, cocking, heeling, inclining, leaning, listing, reclining, slanting, sloping, tilting, tipping
    opposite: arising, ascending, climbing, mounting, rising, uprising, upsweeping, upturning
    near: evening, flattening, leveling, planing, smoothing, straightening

Related Entry: Decline (verb)

Decline is a different word from Declining. The synonyms below are for decline, not for declining.

  1. 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"

    similar: balk (at), deselect, disapprove, negative, nix, pass, pass up, refuse, reject, reprobate, repudiate, spurn, throw out, throw over, turn down, turn one's back on
    related: blow off, disdain, rebuff, scorn, scout, shoot down, overrule, veto, forbid, prohibit, proscribe, dismiss, ignore, abstain (from), forbear, refrain (from), deny, disavow, disclaim, dispute, gainsay, stick, abjure, forswear, recant, renounce, retract, take back, unsay, withdraw, avoid, bypass, detour, contradict, disown, negate, controvert, disagree (with), disprove, rebut, refute, back down, back off, backtrack, disallow, recall, renege, revoke
    opposite: accept, agree (to), approve
    near: condone, countenance, swallow, tolerate, adopt, embrace, receive, take, welcome, accede, acquiesce, agree, assent, consent, choose, handpick, select, espouse, support

  2. to be unwilling to grant

    "declined our request to hold a party"

    similar: deny, disallow, disapprove, negative, nix, refuse, reject, reprobate, withhold
    related: ban, enjoin, forbid, prohibit, proscribe, veto, rebuff, repel, spurn, check, constrain, curb, hold, keep, repress, restrain, restrict, balk (at), hinder, impede, obstruct
    opposite: allow, concede, grant, let, OK, permit
    near: afford, furnish, give, provide, supply, authorize, commission, license, accede (to), acquiesce, agree (to), assent (to), consent (to), warrant, accord, sanction, vouchsafe

  3. to go to a lower level especially abruptly

    "new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years"

    similar: crash, crater, descend, dip, dive, drop, fall, lower, nose-dive, plummet, plunge, sink, skid, tumble
    related: abate, decrease, de-escalate, die (down), diminish, droop, dwindle, ebb, lessen, let up, moderate, subside, taper off, wane, recede, retreat
    opposite: arise, ascend, lift, mount, rise, soar, spike, up
    near: accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mushroom, pick up, snowball, swell, wax

  4. to become worse or of less value

    "his reputation as a writer began to decline not long after his death"

    similar: atrophy, crumble, decay, degenerate, descend, deteriorate, devolve, ebb, regress, retrograde, rot, sink, worsen, go to pot, go to seed
    related: abate, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, recede, wane, break down, corrupt, decompose, degrade, dilapidate, disintegrate, molder, putrefy, sour, spoil, lessen, lower, reduce, debilitate, undermine, droop, fail, fall, flag, lag, languish, run down, sag, slip, waste (away), weaken, wilt
    opposite: ameliorate, improve, meliorate
    near: better, upgrade, enhance, enrich, fortify, heighten, intensify, strengthen, advance, develop, march, proceed, progress

  5. to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

    "the winds should decline as soon as the cold front passes"

    similar: abate, de-escalate, decrease, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down), recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane
    related: compress, condense, constrict, contract, evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish, slacken, slow (down), alleviate, relax, flag, sink, weaken, cave (in), collapse, deflate
    opposite: accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax
    near: appear, emerge, show up, blow up, distend, elongate, lengthen

  6. to lead or extend downward

    "the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles"

    similar: descend, dip, drop, fall, plunge, sink
    related: angle, cant, cock, heel, incline, lean, list, recline, slant, slope, tilt, tip
    opposite: arise, ascend, climb, mount, rise, uprise, upsweep, upturn
    near: even, flatten, level, plane, smooth, straighten

Related Entry: Declining (in) (verb)

Declining (in) is a different word from Declining. The synonyms below are for declining (in), not for declining.

  1. as in falling (in), tapering off

    similar: abating, diminishing (in), dipping, dwindling, falling (in), lessening, tapering, tapering off, decreasing (in), losing
    opposite: building up, gaining, gathering, growing (in), picking up, doubling (in), tripling (in), accruing, accumulating, amassing

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Declining

The most common words with a similar meaning to Declining:

bowed, bowing, declined, descendant, descending, drooping, droopy, hanging, hung, inclining, nodding, pendulous, sagging, stooping, weeping, decadence, decay, decaying, declension, decline, degeneration, descent, deterioration, ebbing, fading, shriveling, waning, wilting, withering, death, decease, demise, dying, end, exit, expiration, expiring, expiry, perishing, regression

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Declining

Words with the opposite meaning of Declining:

unbending, upright, development, growth, maturation, maturing, ripening, blossoming, flourishing, flowering, mellowing, softening, accepting, agreeing (to), approving, allowing, conceding, granting, letting, OK'ing, permitting, arising, ascending, lifting, mounting, rising, soaring, spiking, upping, ameliorating

Related Words for Declining

floppy, limp, dangling, pendent, suspended, slumping, blowing off, disdaining, rebuffing, scorning, scouting, shooting down, overruling, vetoing, forbidding, prohibiting, proscribing, dismissing, ignoring, abstaining (from), forbearing, refraining (from), disavowing, disclaiming, disputing, gainsaying, sticking, abjuring, forswearing, recanting

Near Antonyms of Declining

erect, inflexible, rigid, stiff, elevated, raised, upraised, condoning, countenancing, swallowing, tolerating, adopting, embracing, receiving, taking, welcoming, acceding, acquiescing, agreeing, assenting, consenting, choosing, handpicking, selecting, espousing, supporting, affording, furnishing, giving, providing

Origin & Etymology of Declining

First known use: 1597

Frequently Asked Questions about Declining

What does "Declining" mean?

"Declining" means of or relating to the period during which something is deteriorating or nearing its end. As an an adjective, a noun and a verb, it is defined as: of or relating to the period during which something is deteriorating or nearing its end. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Declining"?

Other words for "Declining" include bowed, bowing, declined, descendant, descending, drooping, droopy and hanging. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Declining" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Declining"?

There are 228 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Declining". Common alternatives include bowed, bowing, declined, descendant, descending, drooping, droopy, hanging, hung and inclining.

What is the opposite of "Declining"?

Antonyms of "Declining" include unbending, upright, development, growth, maturation, maturing, ripening and blossoming. Near antonyms include erect, inflexible, rigid and stiff.

How do you use "Declining" in a sentence?

Examples of "Declining" in a sentence: "the declining flowers perked up with the gentle rainfall"; "he declined the invitation to the party"; "she declined to participate in the soccer game".

Is "Declining" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Declining" can be used as an adjective, a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Declining"?

"Declining" is pronounced /di-ˈklī-niŋ/ and divided into syllables as de·clin·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Declining"?

First known use: 1597.