as in experimental
made or done as an experiment
developmental weaponry that is classified as top secret by the Pentagon
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Recent Examples of developmental
If the team prioritizes offensive line or another position early in the draft, the Browns could look to add speed and size to the receiving group in the second round and again later, either with a developmental wideout or another tight end.
—
Zac Jackson, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The decision, however, could have developmental benefits for some children.
—Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
With Rozier expected to be waived ahead of the April 12 season finale in order to add another player to the roster, a healthy and whole roster could have the Heat leaning toward a developmental prospect for that 15th and final standard roster spot.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
Teams will now be required to carry 12 players with the option to add developmental spots, while free agency rules and cap structures are expected to give players greater earning power and mobility.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for developmental
Zac Jackson, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The decision, however, could have developmental benefits for some children.
—Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
With Rozier expected to be waived ahead of the April 12 season finale in order to add another player to the roster, a healthy and whole roster could have the Heat leaning toward a developmental prospect for that 15th and final standard roster spot.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
Teams will now be required to carry 12 players with the option to add developmental spots, while free agency rules and cap structures are expected to give players greater earning power and mobility.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for developmental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for developmental
Adjective
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Transporting antimatter to quieter environments could boost experimental accuracy by 100 to 1,000 times.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
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Normal, founded in 2022 by former engineers and scientists from Google Brain, Google X, and Palantir, is also using its chip design software internally to build its own experimental AI hardware.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Tips and purported ransom notes flooded in but no investigative breaks.—
ETHAN BECK THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
27 Mar. 2026
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There wasn't enough to bring charges 40 years ago, but with developments in technology and investigative genealogy, the case was reopened in 2025, according to Lawrenceville Police.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Developmental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/developmental. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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