devolve

verb

di-ˈvälv How to pronounce devolve (audio)
Definition of devolvenext
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value the once-lovely neighborhood has devolved into a squalid slum

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 By the end of Volume I, the court romance has devolved into a series of infidelities, both personal and political, which cause the corruption and destabilization of England’s fledgling democracy. — Eileen Hunt, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026 The residents occasionally gather in a disused rec center but the meetings devolve into rants about immigrants, junkies, thugs and vigilantism. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026 At the very least, no one wants to feel invisible, especially when our devolving society keeps finding new ways to instill that impression. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2026 But the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has devolved significantly since its glory days atop the comedy calendar, proving to be a weaker platform for political satire than the Onion’s takeover of Infowars. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for devolve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolve
  1. deteriorate
  2. descend
  3. crumble
  4. worsen
  5. decline
Verb
  • Meanwhile, at the celebratory crew dinner, the we’re-all-in-this-together vibe starts to deteriorate.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Her condition deteriorated rapidly over the following 48 hours.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of deteriorate
Verb
  • As the town and its residents descend into chaos after a massive iceberg emerges from the water, Calvin realizes it might all be connected to his father’s accident.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The statement said the weapon separated from its booster rocket at the planned altitude, then descended and maneuvered both vertically and horizontally before hitting a test target.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of descend
Verb
  • The neighborhood This is one of Bangkok’s oldest districts, where street kitchens still dish up 100-year-old family recipes and crumbling shophouses line the road.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Plague death exposes Putin's crumbling grip as war and economy spiral downward.
    — , FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of crumble
Verb
  • The concern is, if the trade wars continue or worsen, that there will be an even steeper decline to the industry area was built on.
    — Saige Miller, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Those issues worsened when sixth-year receiver Ben Ford exited Saturday’s game at halftime with an injury, after already recording four catches for 45 yards.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of worsen
Verb
  • When Albin returned to the question of which country posed the greater threat to American interests, el Sayed again declined to choose between them, arguing that both had demonstrated the capacity to cause harm.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Courtesy of Heineken, 2026 Caton declined to say how many European jobs will go, citing ongoing consultation with staff and the European Works Council.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of decline

Browse Nearby Words

devolutions
devolve
devolved
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Cite this Entry

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

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