develop

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verb

Definition of DEVELOP

1

to gradually become clearer or more detailed <as the story of the bombing developed, the scope of the tragedy became more apparent>

Synonyms elaborate, evolve, unfold

Related Words advance, fare, forge, get along, get on, march, proceed, progress; blossom, grow, mature, ripen; materialize; emerge, play out

2

to come to have gradually <the youngster developed a taste for green olives>

Synonyms acquire, cultivate, form

Related Words absorb, adopt, embrace, take in, take on; gain, get, obtain; achieve, attain, reach; foster, nourish, nurture, promote

Near Antonyms abandon, desert, forsake; cast, discard, ditch, dump, fling (off or away), jettison, junk, reject, scrap, shed, shuck (off), slough (also sluff), throw away, throw out, unload

Antonyms lose

3

to become mature <the wine is developing nicely in the new oak barrels>

Synonyms age, develop, grow, grow up, progress, ripen

Related Words mellow, soften; bloom, blossom, burgeon (also bourgeon), flourish, flower; open, unfold; advance, evolve; get along, get on, gray (also grey)

Near Antonyms decay, decline, degenerate, deteriorate, sink, worsen; droop, dry, fade, flag, sag, shrivel, wane, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither; regress, retrogress, revert; backslide, lapse, return

4

to express more fully and in greater detail <marketing people developed the initial idea into a complete promotional campaign>

Synonyms amplify, develop, dilate (on or upon), elaborate (on), enlarge (on or upon), flesh (out)

Related Words add (to), complement, supplement; discourse, expatiate, ramble, run on

Near Antonyms compress, contract; outline, summarize, sum up

Antonyms abbreviate, abridge, condense, shorten

5

to produce or bring about especially by long or repeated effort <outside consultants helped the company develop an effective marketing strategy>

Synonyms carve (out), develop, forge, grind (out), thrash (out), work out, work up

Related Words churn out, crank out, turn out; cobble (together or up), throw up; compose, construct, craft, create, engineer, fabricate, fashion, form, frame, generate, manufacture, mint, model, shape, tailor; conceive, concoct, contrive, cook (up), devise, hatch, invent, originate; accomplish, achieve, bring off, carry out, effect

Near Antonyms demolish, destroy, dismantle, raze, tear down; ruin, undo, unmake, wreck