Decline, refuse, forbear, refrain: Decline is gentler than refuse and carries a connotation that the non-acceptance is an acceptable or anticipated option (decline an invitation) or the result of a considered decision (the judge declined to grant the motion). Refuse has a stronger connotation of rejection, firmness, resistance, or non-compliance.
to express inability or reluctance to accept; refuse with courtesy: to decline an invitation; to decline an offer. to cause to slope or incline downward. Grammar Grammar to inflect (a noun, pronoun, or adjective), as Latin puella, declined puella, puellae, puellae, puellam, puella in the five cases of the singular.
SYNONYMY NOTE: decline implies courtesy in expressing one's nonacceptance of an invitation, proposal, etc. [he declined the nomination]; refuse 1 is a more direct, sometimes even blunt term, implying an emphatic denial of a request, demand, etc. [to refuse a person money]; reject stresses a negative or antagonistic attitude and implies positive ...
The meaning of DECLINE is to become lower in amount or less in number. How to use decline in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Decline.
DECLINE definition: to withhold or deny consent to do, enter into or upon, etc.; refuse. See examples of decline used in a sentence.
DECLINE meaning: 1. to gradually become less, worse, or lower: 2. to refuse: 3. If a noun, pronoun, or adjective…. Learn more.
Define decline. decline synonyms, decline pronunciation, decline translation, English dictionary definition of decline. v. de clined , de clin ing , de clines v. intr. 1. To express polite refusal: I wanted to invite them but I was afraid they would decline. 2. a.