devolves

verb

present tense third-person singular of devolve
as in deteriorates
to become worse or of less value the once-lovely neighborhood has devolved into a squalid slum

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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 devolves Eventually, her story devolves into a desperate search for recognition. — Olivier Bouchara, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 2026 When that falls short, Liliom’s life quickly devolves, leaving audiences to wonder if bad deeds are a question of character or circumstance. — Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 But external leadership quickly devolves if our inner landscapes are left scattered to the wind during massive, often uninvited personal upheavals. — Patrick Murphy, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026 The book takes cues from both Song of Solomon and Sula—a revenge side plot in Song takes center stage and devolves in a Shakespearean fashion. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026 The book takes cues from both Song of Solomon and Sula — a revenge side plot in Song takes center stage and devolves in a Shakespearean fashion. — Tembe Denton-Hurst, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026 Some of the mayhem devolves into silliness, including a foot chase through Red Square (doubled by Budapest’s Heroes’ Square abetted with digital effects) and a vehicular chase in which Nick and Troy drive a nuclear missile launcher. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 Arkansas fan John Daly has a booth that’s supposed to be for golf tips but devolves into other things. — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026 But when their boat breaks down, the trip devolves into a waking nightmare. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 18 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolves
  1. deteriorates
  2. descends
  3. crumbles
  4. worsens
  5. declines
Verb
  • Keep the effort easy enough that your movement quality improves rather than deteriorates.
    — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Each function can hit its KPI while the overall customer or commercial outcome deteriorates.
    — Sumit Srivastava, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of deteriorates
Verb
  • Dawn breaks over the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii as the Starship, now out of the re-entry heating zone, descends toward splashdown looking none the worse for the wear.
    — William Harwood, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Beneath it, museumgoers line up to drop a ball into a teak ramp that descends down the length of the Guggenheim spiral.
    — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of descends
Verb
  • The Packers’ identity is that of a team that can’t shut the door, one that crumbles when momentum turns in a hostile away environment.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • All of the big talk about personal drive, which makes Free Solo so darkly compelling, immediately crumbles into selfish pablum the second that children are introduced into the equation.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of crumbles
Verb
  • Ask yourself what scenario is going to provide your brother with the best care, especially as his condition worsens and his needs change.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The musician, 60, sat down with Tamron Hall for a candid conversation about living with Parkinson’s disease, which affects the nervous system, can affect movement and often worsens over time.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of worsens
Verb
  • The companies offered more customer assurances in July, alongside more service protections that would enable customers to obtain temporary access to alternative rail services in the event of performance declines.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Bottura, who declines cooking at most food events nowadays, was driving when Gelb called to invite him to Utah and Las Vegas.
    — Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of declines

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devolved
devolves
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Cite this Entry

“Devolves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolves. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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