declining
adjective
de·clin·ing di-ˈklī-niŋ 
dē-
: of or relating to the period during which something is deteriorating or nearing its end
her declining years
Synonyms
- bowed
- bowing
- declined
- descendant
- descendent
- descending
- drooping
- droopy
- hanging
- hung
- inclining
- nodding
- pendulous
- sagging
- stooping
- weeping
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
the declining flowers perked up with the gentle rainfall
Recent Examples on the Web 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 Remove dead and declining portions back to the healthy trunks or to the ground. Tom Maccubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 23 Nov. 2019 During replanting, remove dead and declining portions, including old roots. Tom Maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, 26 May 2018 The team then built mathematical models using the same data to assess how declining immunity might affect the susceptibility of the U.S. population. Roni Dengler, Science | AAAS, 21 Mar. 2018 Prune away dead or declining plant portions affected by summer weather or pests. Tom Maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, 26 Aug. 2017 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 See More
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 Remove dead and declining portions back to the healthy trunks or to the ground. Tom Maccubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 23 Nov. 2019 During replanting, remove dead and declining portions, including old roots. Tom Maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, 26 May 2018 The team then built mathematical models using the same data to assess how declining immunity might affect the susceptibility of the U.S. population. Roni Dengler, Science | AAAS, 21 Mar. 2018 Prune away dead or declining plant portions affected by summer weather or pests. Tom Maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, 26 Aug. 2017 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 See More Word History
First Known Use
1597, in the meaning defined above
declining 1 of 3
adjective
as in bowing
bending downward or forward the declining flowers perked up with the gentle rainfall Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- bowing
- nodding
- declined
- falling
- bowed
- weeping
- descending
- hanging
- sagging
- drooping
- inclining
- dangling
- hung
- stooping
- descendant
- descendent
- sinking
- floppy
- suspended
- slumping
- pendulous
- droopy
- dipping
- pendant
- pendent
- limp
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- erect
- rigid
- upright
- elevated
- stiff
- unbending
- inflexible
- raised
- upraised
declining
2 of 3noun
as in decline
Synonyms & Similar Words
- decline
- deterioration
- decaying
- decay
- waning
- ebbing
- degeneration
- fading
- shriveling
- wilting
- declension
- dying
- decadence
- withering
- shrivelling
- demise
- expiring
- descent
- perishing
- death
- decease
- exit
- expiration
- regression
- reversion
- expiry
- retrogression
- end
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- growth
- maturing
- development
- maturation
- ripening
- flourishing
- flowering
- softening
- blossoming
- mellowing
declining
3 of 3verb
1
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- refusing
- rejecting
- ignoring
- denying
- passing
- denying
- dismissing
- avoiding
- withdrawing
- spurning
- disputing
- repudiating
- disapproving
- forbidding
- vetoing
- disputing
- reprobating
- turning down
- throwing over
- passing up
- throwing out
- nixing
- negativing
- rebuffing
- prohibiting
- disdaining
- overruling
- deselecting
- scouting
- retracting
- balking (at)
- renouncing
- turning one's back on
- blowing off
- proscribing
- contradicting
- scorning
- revoking
- disavowing
- refuting
- shooting down
- sticking
- abjuring
- bypassing
- recanting
- recalling
- negating
- disproving
- disowning
- forswearing
- rebutting
- taking back
- forbearing
- disclaiming
- unsaying
- disallowing
- controverting
- detouring
- foreswearing
- gainsaying
- backtracking
- backing off
- reneging
- backing down
- abstaining (from)
- disagreeing (with)
- refraining (from)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- accepting
- approving
- receiving
- agreeing (to)
- taking
- tolerating
- adopting
- embracing
- swallowing
- agreeing
- choosing
- welcoming
- supporting
- acquiescing
- selecting
- acceding
- countenancing
- consenting
- condoning
- assenting
- espousing
- handpicking
2
as in rejecting
to be unwilling to grant declined our request to hold a party Synonyms & Similar Words
- refusing
- rejecting
- denying
- withholding
- disapproving
- disallowing
- forbidding
- restricting
- prohibiting
- negativing
- reprobating
- keeping
- spurning
- restraining
- rebuffing
- nixing
- vetoing
- banning
- impeding
- enjoining
- holding
- proscribing
- checking
- hindering
- curbing
- constraining
- obstructing
- repressing
- repelling
- balking (at)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- granting
- permitting
- letting
- providing
- supplying
- allowing
- furnishing
- giving
- affording
- conceding
- acquiescing
- authorizing
- warranting
- licensing
- okaying
- commissioning
- OK'ing
- agreeing (to)
- consenting (to)
- sanctioning
- according
- assenting (to)
- acceding (to)
- licencing
- vouchsafing
3
as in falling
to go to a lower level especially abruptly new-car sales declined to their lowest level in years Synonyms & Similar Words
- falling
- plunging
- dipping
- plummeting
- tumbling
- dropping
- decreasing
- sinking
- descending
- lowering
- skidding
- diminishing
- crashing
- cratering
- diving
- dwindling
- waning
- retreating
- nose-diving
- subsiding
- ebbing
- drooping
- lessening
- moderating
- tapering off
- receding
- abating
- letting up
- de-escalating
- dying (down)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rising
- increasing
- ascending
- soaring
- mounting
- arising
- spiking
- lifting
- growing
- expanding
- escalating
- building
- intensifying
- burgeoning
- accumulating
- swelling
- enlarging
- upping
- mushrooming
- waxing
- snowballing
- ballooning
- picking up
- bourgeoning
4
as in deteriorating
to become worse or of less value his reputation as a writer began to decline not long after his death Synonyms & Similar Words
- deteriorating
- worsening
- crumbling
- descending
- diminishing
- degenerating
- ebbing
- sinking
- decaying
- weakening
- regressing
- devolving
- rotting
- dwindling
- atrophying
- waning
- falling
- disintegrating
- sagging
- retrograding
- reducing
- downsizing
- receding
- degrading
- running to seed
- decomposing
- undermining
- slipping
- souring
- going to pot
- lagging
- going to seed
- failing
- dilapidating
- corrupting
- lowering
- lessening
- abating
- flagging
- languishing
- drooping
- debilitating
- moldering
- putrefying
- spoiling
- wilting
- de-escalating
- breaking down
- running down
- wasting (away)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- improving
- ameliorating
- upgrading
- enhancing
- meliorating
- strengthening
- intensifying
- developing
- advancing
- heightening
- progressing
- proceeding
- enriching
- fortifying
- bettering
- marching
5
as in decreasing
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the winds should decline as soon as the cold front passes Synonyms & Similar Words
- decreasing
- diminishing
- subsiding
- shrinking
- falling
- vanishing
- dwindling
- ebbing
- waning
- easing
- weakening
- lowering
- receding
- moderating
- tapering
- lessening
- falling away
- tapering off
- evaporating
- relenting
- remitting
- abating
- phasing down
- collapsing
- palling
- contracting
- letting up
- racheting (down)
- dropping (off)
- de-escalating
- ratcheting (down)
- draining (away)
- dying (away or down or out)
- compressing
- slackening
- alleviating
- condensing
- flagging
- constricting
- relaxing
- sinking
- giving out
- deflating
- melting (away)
- fading (away)
- petering (out)
- frittering (away)
- tailing (off)
- slowing (down)
- caving (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- increasing
- rising
- growing
- expanding
- escalating
- building
- soaring
- mounting
- intensifying
- swelling
- accumulating
- burgeoning
- enlarging
- mushrooming
- emerging
- snowballing
- waxing
- appearing
- ballooning
- picking up
- bourgeoning
- lengthening
- elongating
- blowing up
- distending
- showing up
6
as in plunging
to lead or extend downward the bike path declines toward the riverbank and then follows the river for several miles Synonyms & Similar Words
- falling
- plunging
- descending
- sinking
- dropping
- sloping
- dipping
- leaning
- tilting
- angling
- tipping
- reclining
- listing
- slanting
- inclining
- cocking
- canting
- heeling
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rising
- ascending
- mounting
- arising
- climbing
- uprising
- upsweeping
- evening
- upturning
- flattening
- straightening
- smoothing
- levelling
- leveling
- planing
- phytogamy
- phytogeneses
- phytogenetic
- phytogenetical
- phytogenetically
- phytogenies
- phytogeny
- phytogeographer
- phytogeographers
- phytogeographic
- phytogeographical
- phytogeographically
- phytogeographies
- phytogeography
- phytoglobulin
- phytograph
- phytographers
- phytographies
- phytography
- phytohaemagglutinin
- phytohemagglutinin
- phytohemagglutinins
- phytohormone
- phytohormones
- phytoid