| Main Entry: | backslide |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | go astray |
Synonyms: |
apostatize, deviate, fall from grace, lapse, leave the straight and narrow, relapse, revert, sin, slip |
| Main Entry: | backsliding |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | relapse |
Synonyms: |
backslide, lapse, lapsing, regression, relapsing, reversion, reverting |
| Main Entry: | decline |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | lessening |
Synonyms: |
abatement, backsliding, comedown, cropper, decay, decrepitude, degeneracy, degeneration, descent, deterioration, devolution, diminution, dissolution, dive, downfall, downgrade, downturn, drop, dwindling, ebb, ebbing, enfeeblement, failing, failure, fall, falling off, flop, lapse, on the skids, pratfall, recession, relapse, senility, skids, slump, wane, waning, weakening, worsening |
| Notes: | one declines (or accepts) something that is offered; one refuses (or agrees) to accept something offered |
Antonyms: |
betterment, improvement, increase, rise |
| Main Entry: | decline |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | lessen, become less |
Synonyms: |
abate, backslide, cheapen, decay, decrease, degenerate, depreciate, deteriorate, diminish, disimprove, disintegrate, droop, drop, dwindle, ebb, fade, fail, fall, fall off, flag, go downhill, go to pot, go to the dogs, hit the skids, languish, lapse, lose value, lower, pine, recede, relapse, retrograde, return, revert, rot, sag, settle, shrink, sink, slide, subside, wane, weaken, worsen |
Antonyms: |
improve, increase, rise |
| Main Entry: | defection |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | abandonment |
Synonyms: |
alienation, apostasy, backsliding, deficiency, dereliction, desertion, disaffection, disloyalty, disownment, divorce, estrangement, failing, failure, faithlessness, forsaking, lack, parting, rebellion, recreancy, rejection, repudiation, retreat, revolt, separation, severance, sundering, tergiversation, withdrawal |
Antonyms: |
joining |
| Main Entry: | degenerate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | decay, deteriorate |
Synonyms: |
backslide, come apart at seams, corrode, corrupt, decline, decrease, deprave, descend, die on vine, disimprove, disintegrate, fall off, go downhill, go to pieces, go to the dogs, lapse, lessen, regress, retrogress, return, revert, rot, sink, slip, vitiate, worsen |
Antonyms: |
develop, improve |
| Main Entry: | desertion |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | abandonment |
Synonyms: |
abrogation, absconding, apostasy, avoidance, backsliding, betrayal, castoff, defecting, departing, departure, derelict, dereliction, disaffection, disavowal, disavowing, divorce, elusion, escape, evasion, falling away, falseness, flight, forsaking, going back on, leaving, marooning, perfidy, recreancy, rejection, relinquishment, renunciation, repudiation, resignation, retirement, retreat, running out on, secession, tergiversation, treachery, truancy, withdrawal |
Antonyms: |
aid, assistance, help, staying |
| Main Entry: | fail |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | be unsuccessful |
Synonyms: |
abort, back wrong horse, backslide, be defeated, be demoted, be found lacking, be in vain, be ruined, blunder, break down, come to naught, come to nothing, decline, deteriorate, fall, fall flat, fall short, fall through, fizzle, flop, flounder, fold, founder, go astray, go down swinging, go down, go downhill, go up in smoke, go wrong, hit bottom, hit the skids, lose control, lose out, lose status, meet with disaster, miscarry, miss, miss the boat, play into, run aground, slip, turn out badly |
Antonyms: |
accomplish, achieve, earn, gain, merit, obtain, prosper, reach, succeed, win |
| Main Entry: | fall |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | descend; become lower |
Synonyms: |
abate, backslide, be precipitated, break down, buckle, cascade, cave in, collapse, crash, decline, decrease, depreciate, diminish, dip, dive, drag, droop, drop down, dwindle, ease, ebb, flag, flop, fold up, go down, gravitate, hit the dirt, keel over, land, lapse, lessen, nose-dive, pitch, plummet, plunge, recede, regress, relapse, settle, sink, slip, slope, slump, spin, stumble, subside, take a header, tip over, topple, totter, trail, trip, tumble, wane |
Antonyms: |
ascend, climb, go up, rise, scale |
| Main Entry: | lapse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | become void; fall back into previous pattern |
Synonyms: |
apostatize, backslide, become obsolete, cease, decline, degenerate, descend, deteriorate, die, elapse, end, expire, go by, pass, recede, recidivate, relapse, retrograde, return, revert, run out, slide, slip, subside, terminate, weaken |
Antonyms: |
continue, go on, restart |