declining
An elderly couple enjoys a peaceful walk in the park during their declining years.
Definition
Adjective:
- Becoming smaller, weaker, or less: "declining" describes something that is decreasing in amount, strength, quality, or importance.
- Approaching the end or a lower state: Often used for periods of life or conditions that are moving toward a final or less active phase.
Verb (present participle):
- To refuse politely: "declining" can mean the act of politely saying no to an offer, invitation, or request.
- To decrease or become less: The action of going down in number, value, or strength.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- The declining population of the village worries local officials. (The number of people is becoming smaller.)
- In his declining years, he preferred quiet walks to social events. (In the later, weaker part of his life.)
Verb:
- She is declining the job offer because the salary is too low. (She is politely refusing the offer.)
- The company's profits are declining due to increased competition. (Profits are decreasing.)
Advanced Usage
"declining health": a condition where someone's physical condition is gradually worsening.
- Her declining health forced her to stop working. (Her health was becoming weaker over time.)
"declining balance": in finance, a method of depreciation where the value of an asset decreases more quickly in the early years.
- The accountant used the declining balance method to calculate the equipment's value. (A specific depreciation calculation.)
Variants and Related Words
Decline (verb/noun): the base form; to become smaller, weaker, or to refuse.
- The decline in sales was unexpected. (The decrease was surprising.)
Declination (noun): a formal refusal or a downward slope (less common).
- His declination of the invitation was polite but firm. (His refusal was courteous.)
Synonyms
- Decreasing: becoming smaller or fewer.
- Deteriorating: becoming worse in quality or condition.
- Waning: becoming weaker or less intense (often used for light, power, or influence).
Phrasal Verbs
Decline in: to decrease in a specific area.
- The city's population has declined in recent years. (The number of residents has gone down.)
Decline to: to refuse to do something.
- He declined to comment on the matter. (He refused to give a statement.)
Related Idioms
On the decline: becoming less common or popular.
- Traditional farming methods are on the decline. (They are being used less and less.)
In decline: in a state of decreasing strength or success.
- The once-great empire is now in decline. (It is losing power and influence.)