decline
de·cline AW [decline declines declined declining] noun, verb BrE [dɪˈklaɪn] NAmE [dɪˈklaɪn]
noun countable, usually singular, uncountable ~ (in sth) | ~ (of sth)
a continuous decrease in the number, value, quality, etc. of sth
•a rapid/sharp/gradual decline
•urban/economic decline
• The company reported a small decline in its profits.
• An increase in cars has resulted in the decline of public transport.
•The town fell into (a) decline (= started to be less busy, important, etc.) after the mine closed.
•Industry in Britain has been in decline since the 1970s.
Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French decliner, from Latin declinare ‘bend down, turn aside’, from de- ‘down’ + clinare ‘to bend’.
Thesaurus:
decline noun C, usually sing., U
•the country's continuing economic decline
fall • • drop • • decrease • • downturn • • slump • • reduction •
Opp: rise, Opp: increase
a decline/fall/drop/decrease/downturn/slump/reduction in sth
a 20% decline/fall/drop/decrease/reduction
a decline/fall/drop/decrease/reduction of 20%
see a decline/fall/drop/decrease/downturn/reduction
Decline, fall or drop? These words all describe a process that happens, not a deliberate action by sb: We've seen a steady decline in profits this year. Fall and decline can happen over time, but a drop cannot:
•a gradual decline/fall
✗ a gradual drop
Example Bank:
•Most of the decline occurred in the 1990s.
•The cloth trade went into gradual decline.
•The increased gold price lead to the decline of his jewellery business.
•The industry is still in decline.
•They lament the decline of old-fashioned communities.
•This area has been on the decline for some years now.
•We have seen a sharp decline in educational standards over recent years.
•We must halt this decline in health services.
•a steady decline in manufacturing
•a steep decline in sales
•an industry in terminal decline
•the decline and fall of a great civilization
•the decline of British farming
•the decline of small farming communities
•the moral decline of the nation
•The town fell into (a) decline after the mine closed.
•These measures have failed to reverse the country's economic decline.
Idiom: ↑somebody's declining years
verb
1. intransitive (rather formal)to become smaller, fewer, weaker, etc
• Support for the party continues to decline.
• The number of tourists to the resort declined by 10% last year.
•Her health was declining rapidly.
2. intransitive, transitive (formal)to refuse politely to accept or to do sth
Syn: ↑refuse
•I offered to give them a lift but they declined.
•~ sth to decline an offer/invitation
•She declined a second glass of wine and called for a taxi.
•~ to do sth Their spokesman declined to comment on the allegations.
3. intransitive, transitive ~ (sth) (grammar)if a noun, an adjective or a pronoun declines, it has different forms according to whether it is the subject or the object of a verb, whether it is in the singular or plural, etc. When you decline a noun, etc, you list these forms.
compare ↑conjugate
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French decliner, from Latin declinare ‘bend down, turn aside’, from de- ‘down’ + clinare ‘to bend’.
Thesaurus:
decline verb
1. I
•Factory output declined by 10% last year.
fall • • drop • • come down • • diminish • |formal decrease • |especially business sink • • slump • • plunge • • plummet • • tumble •
Opp: rise, Opp: increase
decline/fall/drop/come down/diminish/decrease/sink/slump/plunge/plummet/tumble by 100, 25%, a half, etc.
decline/fall/drop/come down/diminish/decrease/sink/slump/plunge/plummet/tumble from 1 500 to 1 000
decline/diminish/decrease with age, time, experience, etc.
prices decline/fall/drop/come down/decrease/sink/slump/plunge/plummet/tumble
decline/fall/drop/decrease/slump/plunge dramatically
Decline, fall or drop? All these words can be used about numbers, levels, prices, profits and sales. Use decline to talk about a loss of economic strength in an area:
•The city/industry has declined (in importance).
A person's health or people's support for sth declines. Voices and temperatures fall or drop. Things can fall or decline over a period of time, but drop cannot be used in the progressive tenses:
•Sales have been falling/declining.
✗ Sales have been dropping.
2. I (formal)
•Her health is gradually declining.
weaken • • fail • • worsen • • deteriorate • • degenerate • • relapse • |especially spoken get worse • |especially business slip •
Opp: improve
sb's health declines/fails/worsens/deteriorates/gets worse
sales decline/weaken/deteriorate/slip
decline/weaken/worsen/deteriorate significantly/steadily
3. T, I (formal)
•We politely declined her invitation.
refuse • • reject • • turn sb/sth down • |formal, often disapproving rebuff •
Opp: accept
decline/refuse/reject/turn down/rebuff a/an offer/request
decline/refuse/reject/turn down a/an chance/opportunity/invitation
politely decline/refuse/reject sth
Example Bank:
•I absolutely decline to discuss my dealings with him or anyone.
•Profits declined by 6% this year.
•The economy has declined sharply in recent years.
•The market for these products is declining fast.
•The number of full-time staff has declined from 300 to just 50.
•This section of the market has slowly declined in importance.
•I offered to drive them there but they declined.
•Manufacturing industry has slowly declined in importance.
•Patients of course have the right to decline treatment.
•She declined a second glass of wine.
•The minister declined to be interviewed.
•The number of tourists visiting the resort declined by 10% last year.
•We politely declined her invitation.
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