as in deteriorated
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 devolved
At one point during Thursday night's meeting, disagreement between commissioners and the chair devolved into shouting.
—
Elle Meyers, CBS News, 1 May 2026
That being the case, it’s already devolved into a circus just days into the case, with the erratic Musk emerging as a key liability in his own proceedings.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 30 Apr. 2026
This visual vocabulary emerged in The Man at the Tree (1968) and The Wood on Its Head (1969), and later devolved, with his subjects abstracted to the point of pulp.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
The series has devolved into a hysteria that the young and arrogant Timberwolves feed on since that first quarter of Game 2.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
An equally contentious matter, the renewal of surveillance powers for federal spy agencies, also devolved into an after-hours affair.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Swalwell’s campaign rapidly devolved over the weekend as allegations surfaced, prompting prominent lawmakers and organizations to rescind their endorsements and staffers to exit his campaign and office.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026
What followed was a wide-eyed stare into the wrong camera that, once the crew found the right angle, devolved into an unsettling mog.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026
By the movie’s end, the charming love story has devolved into a disorienting series of mind games.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
Elle Meyers, CBS News, 1 May 2026
That being the case, it’s already devolved into a circus just days into the case, with the erratic Musk emerging as a key liability in his own proceedings.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 30 Apr. 2026
This visual vocabulary emerged in The Man at the Tree (1968) and The Wood on Its Head (1969), and later devolved, with his subjects abstracted to the point of pulp.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
The series has devolved into a hysteria that the young and arrogant Timberwolves feed on since that first quarter of Game 2.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
An equally contentious matter, the renewal of surveillance powers for federal spy agencies, also devolved into an after-hours affair.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Swalwell’s campaign rapidly devolved over the weekend as allegations surfaced, prompting prominent lawmakers and organizations to rescind their endorsements and staffers to exit his campaign and office.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026
What followed was a wide-eyed stare into the wrong camera that, once the crew found the right angle, devolved into an unsettling mog.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026
By the movie’s end, the charming love story has devolved into a disorienting series of mind games.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolved
Verb
-
This new norm deteriorated in Obama’s second term, when a series of individuals climbed FDR’s low fence, including one who popped through the mansion’s main door in 2014.—
Neil Flanagan,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
-
The mammal’s health deteriorated as it became repeatedly stranded in shallow waters, and unsuccessful efforts to coax it toward deeper seas were live-streamed across the globe.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
And mere days before the art world descended on Venice for the preview week, the entire jury resigned, presumably related to their prior decision to exclude countries charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, which would include both Israel and Russia.—
Leigh Anne Miller,
ARTnews.com,
7 May 2026
-
But nothing has replaced the void left by mining, which, though dangerous and poorly paid, galvanized those who descended into the earth with working-class pride and purpose.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Walls crumbled and the roof collapsed.—
Zohreh Saberi,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
-
Alaska Time would have awoken them as the north fjord wall crumbled just in front of the retreating tongue of the South Sawyer Glacier.—
Megan I. Gannon,
Scientific American,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
After his condition worsened, he was medically evacuated to South Africa on April 27, where he is currently hospitalized in an intensive care unit.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
-
The turbines reportedly worsened air pollution problems around Memphis, and led to persistent protests against xAI's work in the region.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
After 16 years of one-party rule, the cost of living has been driven out of reach for working families, and quality of life has declined in too many communities.—
Steve Hilton,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
Seton Hall did more with less under Shaheen Holloway, but didn’t collect enough strong wins outside of the conference to flip onto the right side of the March Madness bubble and declined any other postseason invitations.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Last fall, a Krousty Sabaïdi giveaway promoted by popular French influencer Fares Salvatore, who has more than 868,000 followers on TikTok, degenerated into mayhem when the call-out attracted 3,000 teenagers.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Murderous encounters dating to the Risdon Cove settlement eventually degenerated into the Black War (1804–30), a period of great physical conflict between the Aboriginal population and European settlers.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The unlikely union lasted 10 years and the mutual admiration between the two famed figures never diminished.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
While the immediate flood threat has diminished, rain is expected to persist along the Mid-Atlantic coast.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devolved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolved. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
