Decline example sentences
Related (15): refuse, reject, decrease, diminish, drop, fall, reduce, deteriorate, worsen, accept, improve, increase, rise, rejection, downturn
"Decline" Example Sentences
Common Phrases
- decline an offer
- decline an invitation
- decline to comment
- in decline
- steep decline
- sharp decline
- gradual decline
- decline in numbers
- decline over time
- politely decline
- forced to decline
- economic decline
- health decline
Examples by Level
A1
- My grandfather is old now and his health is in decline.
- The sun goes down and the light starts to decline.
- She said the company will decline the offer.
A2
- He noticed his energy levels were in decline after the surgery, so he started walking more.
- The teacher asked why student attendance was in decline this semester.
- They had to decline the invitation because they were already busy that night.
B1
- It's strange how quickly things can decline — one bad quarter and suddenly everyone's worried about the future.
- She wanted to accept, but had to decline out of respect for her previous commitment.
- The neighborhood's decline over the past decade has been impossible to ignore if you actually live here.
B2
- What struck me most wasn't the decline itself, but how long people pretended it wasn't happening.
- He'd watched his father's mental decline with a kind of helpless clarity that never quite prepared him for each new loss.
- The company's decision to decline the merger turned out to be the smartest move they'd made in years.
C1
- The decline of civic engagement in developed nations reflects not apathy so much as a fundamental shift in how people conceive of community.
- She found herself caught between the desire to accept and the necessity to decline — a tension that revealed something true about her character.
- What we euphemistically call 'managed decline' is often simply the cost of progress transferred onto those least able to bear it.
C2
- There's a particular melancholy in witnessing the decline of something you once believed in — not the dramatic collapse, but the slow, almost polite erosion of what made it matter.
- He'd learned long ago that to decline gracefully required a kind of strength most people mistook for weakness.
- The empire's decline wasn't written in any single moment; it was written in a thousand small decisions to prioritize comfort over principle.
Examples by Scenario
🏠 Everyday Life
- I've noticed my neighbor's garden is in decline — weeds everywhere, the fence falling apart.
- My kid asked why I had to decline going to his soccer game, and I didn't have a good answer.
- The coffee shop on the corner started to decline after the new chain opened across the street.
💼 Workplace
- Our team's morale has been in decline since the restructuring, and honestly, nobody's surprised.
- I had to decline the promotion because the hours would've destroyed my family life.
- The manager pointed out that our department's productivity was in decline and wanted to know why.
📊 Business
- The decline in customer retention forced us to completely rethink our pricing strategy.
- We had to decline the partnership offer — the terms didn't align with our growth projections.
- Market analysis shows a steady decline in demand for that product line, so we're pivoting.
🛒 Buying / Shopping
- The quality of this brand has been in decline — I used to love it, but now it's just not the same.
- I wanted to buy the extended warranty, but the salesman said to decline it because the product was reliable.
- These shoes are on decline in the clearance section, so I grabbed a pair while they're cheap.
✈️ Travel
- The tour guide mentioned that tourism to the region has been in decline due to the airport closure.
- We had to decline the side trip because we were exhausted and just wanted to rest at the hotel.
- Flying into the city at sunset, I could see the decline of the old industrial district from the plane window.
📚 Education
- The teacher explained how the Roman Empire's decline happened gradually, not overnight.
- My daughter had to decline the scholarship because she decided to take a gap year instead.
- Test scores have been in decline across the district, so they're bringing in new curriculum specialists.
❤️ Relationships
- We both felt the relationship starting to decline, but neither of us knew how to fix it.
- He wanted to introduce me to his family, but I had to decline because I wasn't ready for that step.
- After she got sick, watching her physical decline was the hardest thing I've ever witnessed.
📰 News / Politics
- The report documents the decline of manufacturing jobs in the region over the past fifteen years.
- The senator was forced to decline the nomination after the scandal broke.
- Experts warn that the decline in voter turnout threatens the legitimacy of democratic institutions.
💻 Technology
- The app's user base started to decline once the competitor released a better version.
- I had to decline the software update because it wasn't compatible with my older laptop.
- The decline of Flash technology finally happened — websites are finally moving on.
📝 Formal Writing
- The study documents a significant decline in biodiversity across protected wetland areas between 2015 and 2023.
- The applicant was required to decline the initial offer in writing before reapplying for the revised position.
- Statistical analysis reveals a marked decline in adolescent mental health outcomes correlating with increased social media usage.