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
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
The exchange devolved into a shouting match that had to be broken up by assistant coaches and the officials, and Auriemma exited the court without going through the postgame handshake line.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
After that provocative setup, Dream Scenario unfortunately devolved into a feeble, simplistic cancel-culture satire.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
After he was joined on the bases by walk machine Masataka Yoshida, the inning devolved into chaos.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
The once highly regarded and pricey hub for tech dreamers and fledgling startups has devolved from a breeding ground for ingenuity and innovation — a place of hope — to something closer to an American nightmare.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
Instead, the right devolved into a series of intramural spats, primarily over America’s support for Israel.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Had Ootes been watching the pieces as the game had devolved?
—Ben Mezrich, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026
By then, the match had devolved into madness.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
The exchange devolved into a shouting match that had to be broken up by assistant coaches and the officials, and Auriemma exited the court without going through the postgame handshake line.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
After that provocative setup, Dream Scenario unfortunately devolved into a feeble, simplistic cancel-culture satire.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
After he was joined on the bases by walk machine Masataka Yoshida, the inning devolved into chaos.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
The once highly regarded and pricey hub for tech dreamers and fledgling startups has devolved from a breeding ground for ingenuity and innovation — a place of hope — to something closer to an American nightmare.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
Instead, the right devolved into a series of intramural spats, primarily over America’s support for Israel.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Had Ootes been watching the pieces as the game had devolved?
—Ben Mezrich, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026
By then, the match had devolved into madness.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolved
Verb
-
The lawsuit says the hospital did not tell his family that Hylton’s condition had deteriorated and that he had been transferred to the ICU without a doctor on-site.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
-
All the while, his injuries mounted and personal life deteriorated.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
More than 100 puppies and 150 volunteers descended on Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport on April 19 for an annual guide dog training program.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Generations of workers descended into the depths of the mines in the area.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Those numbers could have been even higher if San Diego’s local media situation hadn’t crumbled three years ago, when its regional sports network, Bally Sports San Diego, declared bankruptcy.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Sportico.com,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Down the road in Tallet El Khayat, an upscale area, a whole side of a building is crumbled to the ground.—
Will Clark,
NBC news,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On the other hand, ozone pollution in Los Angeles worsened from last year’s report, keeping the metro area in the top spot nationally for smog.—
Meg Tanaka,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
On May 3, Belle’s condition worsened, and she was euthanized.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In an email, Gardner declined to comment on the specifics of the situation.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The prosecutor declined to comment further to AP pending further investigation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 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
-
For those who have been advocating for more telework protections since 2024, their fervor hasn’t diminished.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Broadband, long the savior of the sector as video footprints have diminished, has also shown signs of weakness over the past year or two.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devolved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolved. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
