Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

develop

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of develop

1 to gradually become clearer or more detailed
  • The facts of what had happened slowly developed over the next few days.
Synonyms of develop

elaborate, evolve, unfold
Words Related to develop

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 of develop

acquire, cultivate, form
Words Related to develop

absorb, adopt, embrace, take in, take on

gain, get, obtain

achieve, attain, reach

foster, nourish, nurture, promote
Near Antonyms of develop

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 of develop

lose
3 to become mature
  • The wine is developing nicely in the new oak barrels.
Synonyms of develop

age, grow, grow up, mature, progress, ripen
Words Related to develop

mellow, soften

bloom, blossom, burgeon (also bourgeon), flourish, flower

open, unfold

advance, evolve

get along, get on, gray (also grey)
Near Antonyms of develop

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 of develop

amplify, dilate (on or upon), elaborate (on), enlarge (on or upon), expand, flesh (out)
Words Related to develop

add (to), complement, supplement

discourse, expatiate, ramble, run on
Near Antonyms of develop

compress, contract

outline, summarize, sum up
Antonyms of develop

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 of develop

carve (out), forge, grind (out), hammer out, thrash (out), work out, work up
Words Related to develop

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
Phrases Synonymous with develop

bring forth
Near Antonyms of develop

demolish, destroy, dismantle, raze, tear down

ruin, undo, unmake, wreck

Learn More about develop

  1. See words that rhyme with develop Dictionary: Definition of develop Medical Dictionary: Definition of develop Spanish Central: Translation of develop Nglish: Translation of develop for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of develop for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up develop? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games