I was declined

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I was declined" is not correct in standard English usage.
It is typically used incorrectly when someone intends to say they were rejected or not accepted for something, such as an application or request. Example: "After submitting my application for the scholarship, I was declined."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

"I was declined discovery, I didn't get my own data back, I need whistleblowers I am offering USD $5M".

The Guardian - Tech

After hearing that my pregnancy was not the woman's problem, I was declined assistance in finding my way back to the help desk from the gate.

The Economist

Today, when I took my colleagues for lunch at the Maryville Lobster Trap and used my credit card, I was declined!

The New Yorker

Dear American Express, Today, when I took my colleagues for lunch at the Maryville Lobster Trap and used my credit card, I was declined!

The New Yorker

I was declined access because I did not have an appointment". Mr and Mrs Basch met and married in Pune, India, but had planned to move to Florida, where they have a second home.

BBC

Though I was declined by several more, one good man, recognising both the possibility of the opportunity, and gravity of the situation for me, was prepared to go to the effort of making a formal invitation to discuss the possibility of investment.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

I didn't say I was declining to answer the question.

Cornell University

In fact, Facebook knows a lot about how I've grown over the past decade: In 2007, Facebook knew I was declining invitations to college graduation parties and posting screen shots of pictures from Cute Overload to my wall.

The Washington Post

So, although it felt like I was declining the Silver Star, I said no to Library of Congress and then later when I won a Gold Medal, I declined that invitation too.

Huffington Post

If so, it remains to be explored which factor(s) that up-regulates mTOR expression in muscle tissue when endocrine IGF-I is declined, particularly during starvation of knockout mice.

BMC Physiology

At 5 11 p.m. Friday, the first panicked message hit the College Confidential message board: "Now it says I'm declined??????" "Accepted at 4, reject at 5," read another.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer "I was rejected" or "I was turned down" for clarity and correctness. Although "I was declined" appears in some publications, it isn't standard English.

Common error

Avoid using the passive voice construction "I was declined." Instead, use the proper phrases "I was rejected" or "I was turned down" to clearly convey that your request, application, or offer was not accepted.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I was declined" functions as a passive construction where the subject (I) receives the action of being declined. This indicates that a request, application, or offer made by the subject was not accepted. Ludwig AI points out that this phrasing, while used, is not considered correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Academia

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While "I was declined" appears in various sources, it's crucial to understand that standard English prefers "I was rejected" or "I was turned down". The phrase serves to communicate a denial or lack of acceptance. Ludwig AI explains that it's often used to convey that a request or application has been unsuccessful. Despite its appearance in news, academic, and scientific contexts, it's advisable to use the more grammatically sound alternatives for clarity and correctness, especially in formal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I was rejected

Replaces "declined" with a more direct synonym, implying a denial of a request or application.

I was refused

Offers another direct synonym for "declined", emphasizing the act of refusal.

I was not accepted

Indicates that an offer or application for something was not successful

My request was denied

Shifts the focus to the request itself being acted upon, rather than the individual.

I was turned down

Uses a phrasal verb to express rejection, providing a more informal alternative.

My application was unsuccessful

Focuses on the outcome of an application, suggesting a lack of success.

I didn't get approval

Indicates a lack of authorization or consent, implying that the request was not sanctioned.

I did not meet the requirements

Explains the reason for the declination, focusing on a failure to satisfy criteria.

I failed to qualify

Focuses on failing to meet standards or requirements.

The offer was rescinded

Suggests that something previously offered was withdrawn or cancelled.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say I wasn't accepted?

Instead of saying "I was declined", the correct phrases are "I was "rejected"", "I was "turned down"", or "I was not "accepted"".

What can I say instead of "I was declined"?

You can use more standard alternatives such as "I was "rejected"", "I was "turned down"", or "My request was "denied"".

Is it grammatically correct to say, "I was declined"?

While you may encounter the phrase "I was declined", it's generally considered grammatically "incorrect". The preferred phrasing is "I was rejected" or "I was turned down".

What's the difference between "I was declined" and "I was rejected"?

"I was rejected" is the standard and widely accepted way to express that your application or request was not approved. "I was declined" although used in some contexts, "is not correct" in standard English.