development

noun

di-ˈve-ləp-mənt How to pronounce development (audio)
Definition of developmentnext
1
as in evolution
the act or process of going from the simple or basic to the complex or advanced the development of an idea into a marketable product

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2
as in outcome
a condition or occurrence traceable to a cause a development that the writers of the law never anticipated or intended

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3
as in growth
the process of becoming mature a tulip's development from a bulb into a flower

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of development These developments, usually considered in isolation, illustrate that voters and politicians alike want things that are fundamentally incompatible but refuse to acknowledge the trade-offs. — Ramesh Ponnuru, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2026 For four decades, remarkable economic development has been joined by successful political democracy. — Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 Through talent development and the transfer portal, Steve Sarkisian has assembled a roster that aims to conquer the College Football Playoff. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Vietnam is making moves to revise its extended producer responsibility (EPR) policy to better promote the development of a circular economy. — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for development
Recent Examples of Synonyms for development
  1. evolution
  2. outcome
  3. growth
  4. progress
  5. result
  6. maturation
  7. expansion
  8. resultant
Noun
  • The challenge is that the hydrogen evolution reaction is slower in alkaline environments, increasing the need for catalysts that can deliver high activity without rapidly losing performance.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
  • One person involved in the effort told me that the firings had been carried out because of an evolution in the business at Fannie and not for any ideological reason.
    — Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of evolution
Noun
  • Those conspiracy theories, Wagner said, are often ways of looking at the world that provide answers to questions when an outcome is too uncomfortable for people.
    — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • On Wall Street, the founders observed how institutional investors sought to trade such uncertain binary outcomes as Brexit and the 2016 presidential election through proxies such as swaps, options, and other risk curves.
    — Carson Becker, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of outcome
Noun
  • The growth trajectory Neville talks about — industry sources estimate the brand will reach $100 million in net revenue this year — has not gone unnoticed by the industry.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • With rising geopolitical tensions, a surge in domestic competition and a disconnect from the Chinese consumer, American companies have lost ground in the region that once offered fuel for growth.
    — Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of growth
Noun
  • With a keen interest in the African market, the club was tipped off about Diomandé at an early age and followed his progress in the US, eventually signing him in November 2024.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Mayor Karen Bass questions the progress and said that city personnel were inside the warehouse earlier today and that food waste remains.
    — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of progress
Noun
  • No cause or manner of death has been determined, pending the results of additional testing.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • An impromptu survey on Wednesday afternoon found more mixed results.
    — Brittney Ermon, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of result
Noun
  • Bavik keeps things classic, brewing with 100% malt and aroma hops, then letting the beer chill out for an extended cold maturation.
    — Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • And the six to seven years that regular Maker’s bourbon is aged for is considered to be a maturation sweet spot by many.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of maturation
Noun
  • But cultivating consumer trust, as opposed to pursuing rapid product expansion and chasing virality, has become a defining — and differentiating — aspect of Westman Atelier’s go-to-market model.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Generac announced investing $250 million in its factory expansion and expects to add 1,000 employees to its headcount as data center orders continue to roll in.
    — Rachel Wells, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of expansion
Noun
  • Ilie and Ghodla modeled the environment in which the resultant black hole seeds would exist and merge, calculating merger rates and the influence on the gravitational wave background.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • No other spacecraft has ever descended into the moon’s shadowy south polar craters, although NASA did crash a rocket into one in 2009 and watched a resultant plume of water vapor burst out.
    — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of resultant

Browse Nearby Words

developing
development
developmental
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Cite this Entry

“Development.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/development. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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