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
Much of the activity has focused on protests at an immigration facility in the suburb of Broadview, which have devolved into violence at times.
—
Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 29 Oct. 2025
The situation devolves from there, in a sort of micro-zombie apocalypse.
—The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2025
The dispute devolved into civil war in April 2023 as the Rapid Support Forces launched a series of attacks against government and military positions nationwide, seizing parts of Khartoum and other cities.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The race started behind the safety car in a downpour, barely got going before devolving into yellow-flag chaos and was finally red-flagged on lap 25, suspending the race for over two hours.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devolve
Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 29 Oct. 2025
The situation devolves from there, in a sort of micro-zombie apocalypse.
—The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2025
The dispute devolved into civil war in April 2023 as the Rapid Support Forces launched a series of attacks against government and military positions nationwide, seizing parts of Khartoum and other cities.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The race started behind the safety car in a downpour, barely got going before devolving into yellow-flag chaos and was finally red-flagged on lap 25, suspending the race for over two hours.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devolve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolve
Verb
-
Residents should also remain alert to rapidly changing forecasts, as conditions may deteriorate quickly.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Grace appears dazed when others pick up on her ache, and takes a perverse pleasure in Jackson’s struggle to deal with her deteriorating mental health.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The trail stays level early on and crosses the road a couple of times before descending through a grove of Arizona cypress to a shallow drainage.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The Senate’s negotiations on reopening the government are descending into another impasse.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
That quest comes to a screeching halt due to the 2008 recession, as Jackie scrambles to adjust to a new lifestyle while husband David struggles to keep his timeshare empire from crumbling.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Instead, Chenoweth finds the humanity inside the caricature, capturing the contradictions that made Jackie a pop-culture fascination — her drive for success, her humor, and yes, even her delusion to keep believing in a fantasy when the walls around her are literally crumbling.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Their fate worsened when star striker Barbra Banda, who was crowned NWSL Championship MVP last year, was injured during a mid-August match, ending her season.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Esperance, the human-rights advocate who once opposed a foreign intervention and has since changed his mind as the gang violence worsens, said any election held now would in effect turn the country over to the gangs.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In a social media video, Madi said her father's health declined in the months following an early-stage prostate cancer diagnosis.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The Administration submitted an emergency filing to the Supreme Court after an appeals court declined to block the injunction.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devolve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolve. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share