DEVELOPS Synonyms: 160 Similar and Opposite Words

develops

verb

present tense third-person singular of develop

as in unfolds

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

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Relevance

as in acquires

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in grows

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

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as in expands

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

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as in forges

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

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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 develops After losing everything, Dean turns to coaching youth hockey and develops meaningful relationships with the kids. —

Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026 Trust develops through a substantial body of online content, including articles, podcasts, videos, and books. —

Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026 Trusty was a 15-year-old at the YSC academy just outside Philadelphia, a centre that develops young talents for the Union, the local MLS side, when he was set to be released. —

Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 16 May 2026 Teledyne Energy Systems supplies thermoelectric components, while BAE Systems develops insulation systems for the generator. —

Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026 Potatoes must grow in darkness in order to prevent them from producing toxic solanine, which develops from sun exposure. —

Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 11 May 2026 If someone in the quarantine unit develops symptoms, they would be assessed and moved to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. —

Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 11 May 2026 Hantavirus in Argentina usually develops in rural and peri-urban areas, in the presence of crops, tall weeds, humidity, or a subtropical climate. —

Gonzalo Zegarra, CNN Money, 9 May 2026 The letter was written on behalf of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, which develops secure communication tools for journalists and tracks violations of press freedom, and Reporters Without Borders, which tracks press freedom globally. —

Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for develops

Verb

Like the movie, the series begins as a deeply human story grounded in relationships that gradually unfolds into a large-scale, epic adventure.

— Ed Meza, Variety, 14 May 2026
Not every summer movie needs to be a mystery that unfolds hallway after hallway, with a creature hiding around every corner ready to pop out.

— Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026