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 In it, a husband and wife adopt a cat, Sheila, who develops an unnerving disposition come nightfall. —

Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026 Atlanta police cautioned that the information released so far is preliminary and could change as the investigation develops. —

Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026 As your plant grows and develops roots, increase the quantity and frequency of watering as needed for your climate. —

Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026 Filmmaker Kat Coiro’s movie stars Halle Bailey as a chef who secretly starts living in a vacant Italian villa and develops feelings for the cousin (Regé-Jean Page) of the residence’s owner. —

Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2026 Linda becomes her husband’s unyielding defender as the tortured Biff — once the quintessential American boy — develops into a Knight of the Mirrors against his father’s Quixote, the adversary who tries to force the dreamer to encounter his own reflection. —

Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026 The company Ark Robotics, develops autonomous robots for rapid deployment using feedback from the battlefield to shape the technology. —

Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026 The company develops medicine for people with severe neurological and autoimmune conditions. —

Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 10 Apr. 2026 Charting Cotton’s Future By enabling growers to benchmark performance, adopt advanced methods and achieve environmental targets, the Trust Protocol develops a long-term vision for cotton production that is resilient and responsible. —

Sj Studio, Footwear News, 6 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for develops

Verb

Atrium Health Training Facility will not only be the site where Panthers practice unfolds but also where organized team activities (OTAs) and training camp take place.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2026
Without giving away how the story unfolds, the Chairwoman feels like one of the more honest representations of the uber-wealthy (in a TV world oversaturated with examples), and her husband proves surprisingly effective in connecting the three male leads’ broader arc.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026