Decline – English Verbs Conjugation

decline declines declining declined

Decline means to refuse politely, or to decrease. Regular verb: decline-declined-declined.

Meanings

To refuse politely
To decrease in amount
To deteriorate

Common Collocations

decline an invitation decline sharply in decline decline to comment declining health

Tip for Learners

Decline is a polite refusal. In decline means decreasing. Decline to comment is a polite refusal to speak.

Present Simple

I	decline
you	decline
he/she/it	declines
we	decline
they	decline

Examples - Present Simple

I decline invitations to events I can't attend.
You decline offers that don't meet your standards.
He declines to comment on the matter.
We decline requests that conflict with our values.
They decline every year due to market conditions.

Present Continuous

I	am declining
you	are declining
he/she/it	is declining
we	are declining
they	are declining

Examples - Present Continuous

I am declining the offer politely.
You are declining in health unfortunately.
She is declining to participate.
We are declining the proposal due to budget.
They are declining in numbers each year.

Present Perfect

I	have declined
you	have declined
he/she/it	has declined
we	have declined
they	have declined

Examples - Present Perfect

I have declined several job offers this month.
You have declined steadily over the years.
He has declined all interview requests.
We have declined to make a statement.
They have declined significantly since the peak.

Present Perfect Continuous

I	have been declining
you	have been declining
he/she/it	has been declining
we	have been declining
they	have been declining

Examples - Present Perfect Continuous

I have been declining invitations for weeks.
You have been declining in performance lately.
She has been declining requests consistently.
We have been declining these opportunities regrettably.
They have been declining for several quarters.

Past Simple

I	declined
you	declined
he/she/it	declined
we	declined
they	declined

Examples - Past Simple

I declined the invitation due to prior commitments.
You declined rapidly after the illness.
He declined to answer any questions.
We declined their generous offer.
They declined by twenty percent last year.

Past Continuous

I	was declining
you	were declining
he/she/it	was declining
we	were declining
they	were declining

Examples - Past Continuous

I was declining the offer when they raised it.
You were declining physically at that time.
She was declining all requests during her leave.
We were declining in market share.
They were declining before the intervention.

Past Perfect

I	had declined
you	had declined
he/she/it	had declined
we	had declined
they	had declined

Examples - Past Perfect

I had declined before knowing the full details.
You had declined significantly before treatment.
He had declined the role before reconsideration.
We had declined the deal before the counteroffer.
They had declined for years before stabilizing.

Past Perfect Continuous

I	had been declining
you	had been declining
he/she/it	had been declining
we	had been declining
they	had been declining

Examples - Past Perfect Continuous

I had been declining offers for months before accepting.
You had been declining slowly before the diagnosis.
She had been declining interviews for years.
We had been declining contracts before the new policy.
They had been declining steadily for decades.

Future Simple

I	will decline
you	will decline
he/she/it	will decline
we	will decline
they	will decline

Examples - Future Simple

I will decline if the terms aren't favorable.
You will decline in energy without rest.
He will decline the nomination.
We will decline to participate in the survey.
They will decline further without intervention.

Future Continuous

I	will be declining
you	will be declining
he/she/it	will be declining
we	will be declining
they	will be declining

Examples - Future Continuous

I will be declining most requests next month.
You will be declining in strength without training.
She will be declining all offers during her sabbatical.
We will be declining non-essential projects.
They will be declining throughout the recession.

Future Perfect

I	will have declined
you	will have declined
he/she/it	will have declined
we	will have declined
they	will have declined

Examples - Future Perfect

I will have declined all unsuitable offers by then.
You will have declined considerably by that point.
He will have declined the position by tomorrow.
We will have declined enough requests by year end.
They will have declined by half by next decade.

Future Perfect Continuous

I	will have been declining
you	will have been declining
he/she/it	will have been declining
we	will have been declining
they	will have been declining

Examples - Future Perfect Continuous

I will have been declining invitations for years.
You will have been declining in health for months.
She will have been declining offers her entire career.
We will have been declining proposals for ages.
They will have been declining for generations.