as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the once-lovely neighborhood has devolved into a squalid slum
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 devolve
Tuesday evening’s event didn’t devolve into the chaos of a cacophonous debate last week but was far livelier than a relatively sleepy one last month.
—
Ben Paviour
may 6, Sacbee.com, 6 May 2026
Like other stories of fractured childhoods, including Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died and Jeannette Walls’s The Glass Castle, Konkle writes in unflinching detail about how her relationship with her parents devolved under the weight of a messy divorce and financial strain.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 6 May 2026
What starts as democratic, orderly, cooperative and hopeful quickly devolves into something violent, tribal, primitive and utterly wild.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 May 2026
At a time when American politics was devolving from statesmanship to showmanship and the tone of discourse was becoming cruel, former Governor Larry Hogan set an example of calm and thoughtful leadership.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for devolve
Ben Paviour
may 6, Sacbee.com, 6 May 2026
Like other stories of fractured childhoods, including Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died and Jeannette Walls’s The Glass Castle, Konkle writes in unflinching detail about how her relationship with her parents devolved under the weight of a messy divorce and financial strain.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 6 May 2026
What starts as democratic, orderly, cooperative and hopeful quickly devolves into something violent, tribal, primitive and utterly wild.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 May 2026
At a time when American politics was devolving from statesmanship to showmanship and the tone of discourse was becoming cruel, former Governor Larry Hogan set an example of calm and thoughtful leadership.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for devolve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolve
Verb
-
The debate followed a Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association forum in which Bass and Raman previewed several themes that resurfaced Wednesday, including homelessness policy, LAPD staffing, housing density and frustration over deteriorating city services.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
7 May 2026
-
Despite the nonprofit spending $925,000 on ice rental during the 2025-26 season, conditions at the rink deteriorated under Black Bear, said Michalak, who briefly worked at the rink after Black Bear bought it.—
Kenny Jacoby,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Footage shows a rescue helicopter responding to Moogerah Peaks National Park in southeast Queensland, Australia, where a woman in her 20s injured her ankle in a fall and was unable to descend the mountain.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
-
Only weeks remain before hundreds of thousands of soccer fans are expected to start descending on Kansas City for the first game, on June 16, of the month-long 2026 FIFA World Cup competition.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Top issues for the West Valley include public safety, the homeless and a failing infrastructure (street lights out, crumbling sidewalks, etc).—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
-
This would be perfect for elote (Mexican street corn) or to crumble on a plate of chilaquiles.—
Jolene Thym,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
The scale and location of the development have drawn concern from some residents, who say the project could worsen traffic congestion and may not be affordable for middle-class families.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, the global memory crisis has worsened, forcing tech giants to pay up for the capacity needed to satisfy their data center ambitions.—
Jordan Novet,Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Bass defended her administration’s handling of homelessness, pointing to declining homelessness counts and the city’s Inside Safe program, while criticizing Raman’s record on police hiring and past votes against some encampment enforcement measures near schools and other sensitive sites.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
8 May 2026
-
Spatola and his legal team declined to comment immediately after the verdict.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devolve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolve. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
