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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devolve
There, in the infield, stood those who were connected by unconditional love to Busch, the NASCAR all-time great who died suddenly Thursday at age 41 due to severe pneumonia that devolved into sepsis.
—
Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 May 2026
In the past, that has often devolved into cheap political point-scoring.
—ArsTechnica, 25 May 2026
The two tag team partners devolved into hockey punches, and Statlander got the better of them.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
This year, the Bucks devolved into a 50-loss lottery team, snapping a nine-year playoff streak.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for devolve
Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 May 2026
In the past, that has often devolved into cheap political point-scoring.
—ArsTechnica, 25 May 2026
The two tag team partners devolved into hockey punches, and Statlander got the better of them.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
This year, the Bucks devolved into a 50-loss lottery team, snapping a nine-year playoff streak.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for devolve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolve
Verb
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Officials have described the overhaul as a long-overdue restoration effort aimed at addressing decades of deferred maintenance, including deteriorating infrastructure, water damage, failing HVAC systems and structural concerns throughout the building.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
28 May 2026
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Farm credit quality is deteriorating — row crop farmers are experiencing a third consecutive year of declining crop receipts, and farm loan delinquency rates have reached their highest levels since 2021.—
Mayra Rodriguez Valladares,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Make a turn at Bar Chimera’s host stand and descend a dark and oddly narrow staircase.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
24 May 2026
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The Emirates Stadium and the nearby areas were painted in red and white as thousands upon thousands of fans descended upon their spiritual home.—
Thomas Schlachter,
CNN Money,
23 May 2026
Verb
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At the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission headquarters in Virginia, staff knew their crumbling asphalt parking lot was in desperate need of repair.—
Aya Diab,
Fortune,
23 May 2026
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Cucumbers and shallots add a welcome crunch to this refreshing summer salad of cubed watermelon, fresh mint, and crumbled feta cheese.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Spikes in gas prices as well as higher food costs have worsened inflation, which has outpaced the growth in average paychecks, reducing most Americans’ purchasing power.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
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But the department has been contending with an IDR application backlog since last year, and after months of progress, there are signs the backlog may be starting to worsen again.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Mahuna declined to say what evidence led investigators to identify Baker as a suspect.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
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Officials cited budget deficits, underutilized buildings, and declining enrollment as reasons for the closures.—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devolve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolve. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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