decline
to slope downward; to refuse or decrease
Roots
- cline / cliv: lean, slope, or bend
- de-: down, away, reversal, reduction, or removal
Other words with the cline / cliv root
- inclination: a tendency or leaning
- incline: to lean or slope; to tend toward
- inclined: likely or disposed to do something; sloping
- proclivity: a natural tendency or inclination
- recline: to lean back
De- plus cline gives the down-leaning image behind decline.
The graph declined after the first burst of practice stopped.