Briefly stated, Hobsbawm's thesis is that the history of the twentieth century is that of the decline of civilization.
Source: tatoeba (20963)
Decline
/dɪˈklaɪn/
Synonyms for "decline" (682 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (137)
Noun(30 words)
fallaging processatrophybackslidesbagascosisbearbottomsbouncescivilization breakdowncollapsing of civilizationcontractionscrumblingcultural declinesdebilitationdecaydecayingdecaysdeclensiondeclinationdecline of tradition
Show 10 more words
declinesdeclining demanddeclivitiesdeclivitydecreasedecrease in temperaturedecrease outputdecreasesdecreasingdegradation
abateabatementabjureablateabstainabstain fromageanalyzeanilityarreararrearagearrearsascendasking priceatrophyavoidbackslidebackslidingbalkbank
Show 80 more words
batebe eaten awaybe found wantingbe unmovedbe unwillingbearish pricesbeat downbeg offbid pricebogglebook valuebracketbreakbrush asidebullish pricesbypasscadencecaducitycall pricecantcareencatabasiscatenarycavecave incessationcheapencheapeningcheat the undertakerchildishnesschuckchuck outclimbcloseclosingclosing pricecollapsecome apartcome downcome shortcome unstuckcomedownconjugateconk outconsumeconsume awaycontemncontractcontradictcorrodecrashcrumblecutcut pricesdebasementdebilitydecadencedecadencydecaydecelerationdeclensiondeclinationdecline and falldecline to acceptdeclivitydecreasedecrescendodecurrencedefalcationdefaultdefectivenessdeficitdeflatedeflationdeformationdegeneracydegeneratedegeneratenessdegenerationdegradation
Verb(5 words)
Adjective(2 words)
decreased trustdegraded status
Strong matches (204)
Noun(49 words)
degradingdenyingdescendingdescentdescentsdeteriorationdeteriorationsdie backdilapidationdiminishdiminishingdiminutiondiminutionsdippingdipsdissolutenessdivesdowndownfallsdownhills
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delinquencydeliquescedemotiondemurdenydepravationdepravednessdepreciatedepreciationdepressionderogationdescenddescentdespisedeterioratedeteriorationdevaluatedevaluationdevitalizationdevolution
Show 114 more words
diedie awaydiminishdiminuendodiminutiondipdisagreedisallowdisapprovediscarddisclaimdiscountdisdaindisimprovedisintegratedismissdisowndisregarddissentdissolvedivedodderdotagedotardismdownfalldowngatedowngradedownhilldownslidedownswingdowntrenddownturndownward mobilitydownward trenddrift awaydroopdropdrop downdrop offdwindledwindlingdyingebbebbingeclipseeffetenesserodeexceptexcludeface valuefadefadingfailfailingfailurefailure of nervefaintfallfall awayfall in pricefall offfall shortfalling offfalling shortfalling-offfallofffixed pricefizzle outflagflash priceflopflop downfluctuationflumpflump downflurryflutterforbearforgoforswearfoundergainsayget alongget ongive outgive waygogo awaygo downgo downhillgo offgo softgo to piecesgo to potgo to the dogsgo uphillgradegrow oldhanghanginghave a comedownhighhillhit a slumphit rock bottomhit the skidshold outhold out againsthomestretchhyphenateignoreimperfectioninadequacyincline
Verb(17 words)
demurreddepreciatingdeteriorateddeterioratesdeterioratingdevolvedevolveddevolvingdippeddisdainingdismiss a proposaldisobeydwindlesfade from viewfailedfaltersgo down
Adjective(4 words)
Related words (341)
inferiorityinflectinsufficiencyinvolutionissue parissue pricejew downjibkeellacklaglanguishlapselast laplast roundlast stageleanlessenlesseninglet up
Show 217 more words
listloatheloselose groundlose strengthlossloss of tonelourlowlowerloweringmarkmark downmarkdownmarket pricemarket valuemeltmelt awaymove awaymove offmovementnegatenegativenominal valuenose divenose-divenot answernot buynot consentnot hack itnot hear ofnot make itnot make outnot measure upnot stretchnot sufficenot think ofoffering priceopening priceparpar valuepareparenthesizeparityparsepasspass bypass uppeakpeg outperishpeter outpinepitchplopplop downplummetplummetingplumpplungepointpoop outpriceprice cutprice fallprice reductionpull awaypunctuatepush asideput pricequotationquoted pricerakerallyreach the depthsrebuffrecantrecederecessionreducereductionrefrainrefuserefuse consentrefuse to considerregressionrejectrelapseremissionrenouncerepelreprobaterepudiaterepulseresist entreatyresist persuasionretireretreatretrocederetrocessionretrogradationretrograderetrogressionreturnrevertriserotruinrun downrun lowrun shortsagsay naysay noscoutscruplesecond childhoodseedsenectitudesenile debilitysenile dementiasenile psychosissenile weaknesssenilismsenilitysetsettlesettle downsettling priceshakeshaveshelveshort measureshortageshortcomingshortfallshove awayshrinkshrivelshunshysidlesinksink downsinkageslackslantslashslideslipslippageslopeslouchslowdownslumpslump downspurnstagnatestand aloofstand offstated valuesticksticklestop shortsubmergesubmergencesubsidesubsidencesufferswagswayswingswingstail offtapertaper offthrow awaythrow outtilttiptottertouch bottomtrimturnturn awayturn downturn grayturn outturn whitetwilightunderageuprisevetovote nayvote negativelywaivewanewaningwantwastewaste awayweakenweakeningweaknesswearwear awaywear thinwiden the distancewiltwithdrawwitherwither awaywizenworsenworseningwrinkleyield
Verb(31 words)
Noun(62 words)
invitation rejectionlanguage formslanguishinglapsesleanmost fall engagement dipnosedivenosedivesnosedoveplummetsplungesplungingprogressive functional losspullbacksrecedingrecessionreducereductionsrefusalrefusal to comply
Show 42 more words
refusalsrefuserefuse to contractrefusingregressingrejectrejectionrejectsretrogradingromanian a diminuaruinationsharp dropshrinkingshrivellingsignificantly diminishedsignificantly lowersinkingsinksskiddingskydiveslantslippingslouchingslumpingslumpsslumssocietal collapsestate of declinesteady downward trendstock declinesundownstailspinthin outtilttumbletwilightulatrophiawaning moonweatheringwiltingwitheringword form
Adjective(11 words)
long term degradationnegative pe changenegative returnpolite declinerapid decreaserapid descentsteady declinesustained downward trenduncooluninvitingworsening health
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: fall, abate, abatement, abjure, ablate.
- Sentence evidence is available for decline, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "decline".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "decline"
Keep "decline" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "decline" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "decline", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "decline" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
29 entriesShowing 16 of 29 words.
More specific
12 entriesCollocations
9 entriesdecline invitationdecline rateeconomic declinegradual declinepercentage declinepopulation declinerapid declinesharp declinesteady decline
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
7 entriesSample sentences
36 total sentences available.
There was a rapid decline in stock prices.
Source: tatoeba (21215)
The company is turning to export markets to make up for a decline in domestic sales.
Source: tatoeba (22384)
All of us want prices to decline.
Source: tatoeba (23070)
Showing 4 of 36 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "decline"?
Closest matches include fall, abate, abatement, abjure, ablate.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "decline"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.