DEVOLVE Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

devolve

verb

di-ˈvälv

Definition of devolve

as in to deteriorate

to become worse or of less value the once-lovely neighborhood has devolved into a squalid slum

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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 The only real scoring chances arrived in the dying moments of a game that carried macabre tendencies, long after the match had devolved into a turf war. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 26 June 2026 But, when one student made a provocative claim that noncitizens aren’t entitled to equal protection, the debate devolved. — Eliza Griswold, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 However, the split between Devers and the Red Sox reportedly began as a dispute over his future after he was moved from third base to first base, but devolved into a larger issue. — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 22 June 2026 Another year growing and evolving and sometimes devolving, with you. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for devolve

Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolve

Verb

They can also be used for de-aging characters, creating performances in different languages, or preserving the voice or likeness of an actor whose health is deteriorating, as was the case with CAA client Eric Dane.

— Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 6 July 2026
Though concrete is a durable surface, concrete driveway repair is needed when the surface deteriorates and develops cracks over the years.

— Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026

Definition of deteriorate

Verb

But last weekend’s mayhem, in which thousands descended on the community and more than 400 ended up under arrest, has hit Newport Beach differently, spurring calls for the city leaders to take decisive action.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Barely a month ago, there was plenty of fretting that FIFA had grossly overestimated the crowds that would descend on the tournament’s host cities and stadiums.

— Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 9 July 2026

Definition of descend

Verb

Throughout the album, mary in the junkyard shift constantly, moving from crumbling atmospheric experiments to cloudy Pacific Northwest indie rock to the kind of straightforward classical guitar poems of Leonard Cohen’s early albums.

— Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 7 July 2026
An islandwide blackout plunged Cuba’s nearly 10 million residents into darkness Monday, exposing a crumbling power grid and dwindling fuel reserves as officials raced to restore electricity.

— Milexsy Durán, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

Definition of crumble

Verb

The noise progresses to a rough grinding sound and performance worsens.

— Keith Laing, USA Today, 8 July 2026
Growing evidence suggests visible light, particularly high-energy visible (blue) light from sunlight, can worsen pigmentation in people prone to melasma and in those with darker skin tones.

— Angela Haupt, Time, 7 July 2026

Definition of worsen

Verb

Bogdanos declined the cash, which is instead being donated to nonprofits of his choosing.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026
Even as remote work has declined from its pandemic highs, the data shows nearly 22% of workers still worked at least partly from home in 2025, only 1 percentage point less than the number who partly worked from home during the year prior.

— Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 9 July 2026

Definition of decline

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devolutions

devolve

devolved

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“Devolve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolve. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of devolve

verb

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