Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

decline

1 noun
     
de‧cline1 W2 [singular, uncountable]
a decrease in the quality, quantity, or importance of something
decline in
There has been a decline in the size of families.
decline of
the decline of manufacturing
rapid/sharp/steep/dramatic decline
a rapid decline in unemployment
steady/gradual/long-term decline
The island's population initially numbered 180, but there was a gradual decline until only 40 people were left.
the economic decline faced by many cities
in decline
widely held belief that educational standards are in decline (=falling)
fall/go etc into decline
The port fell into decline (=became less important and less busy) in the 1950s.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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