declined
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.politely refused an invitation or an offer.
v.politely refused to accept an invitation, offer, or suggestion.
Simple“She declined the job offer because the commute was too long.”
In context“The ambassador declined the invitation to the gala, citing a prior engagement that required his presence in the capital.”
UsageOften followed by a direct object or a 'to' infinitive.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.became smaller, fewer, or less in quality.
v.underwent a gradual decrease in number, value, strength, or quality.
Simple“The number of butterflies in the garden declined over the summer.”
In context“Standard of living in the region declined sharply following the closure of the primary manufacturing plant.”
UsageCommonly used with adverbs like 'sharply', 'steadily', or 'gradually'.
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
adj.pointing or bending downwards or to the side.
adj.directed or curved downward or obliquely. Used primarily in technical descriptions of plants or animal parts.
Simple“The plant has declined leaves that hang toward the ground.”
In context“The specimen is characterized by its declined stems, which distinguish it from other varieties in the same genus.”
Teacher's tipThis is a highly specialized term in botany; in everyday English, people use 'drooping' or 'hanging'.
Synonymsdroopingdescending
Usage declined to comment · declined significantly · declined to give
“The Polish striker’s scoring declined to 19 and 21 goals in the last two campaigns compared to 42 in the season before.”
“DHS spokespeople did not respond to inquiries and the DoJ declined to comment.”