as in deteriorates
to become worse or of less value
the once-lovely neighborhood has devolved into a squalid slum
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Recent Examples of devolves
The initial euphoria quickly devolves into Nikki becoming increasingly violent and erratic.
—
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 15 May 2026
What begins as a skeptical pursuit of Richard’s double quickly devolves into an all-consuming obsession, unraveling Clare’s grip on reality and pulling her into a liminal nightmare where she is suspended between the living and the dead.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 12 May 2026
What starts as democratic, orderly, cooperative and hopeful quickly devolves into something violent, tribal, primitive and utterly wild.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Unfortunately for her, Steve’s more than ready for the attack, and what begins as a perfect friendship, devolves into an all-out feud.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026
But when the goal of the endeavor shifts from listening to talking back, the project rapidly devolves into chaos.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
Iran’s future must be a secular republic grounded in pluralism, one that recognizes its multinational character, guarantees language and cultural rights, and devolves real power to regions.
—Jalil Pakray, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
Or, perhaps even more likely, Iran devolves into a morass, a chaotic power struggle that destabilizes the entire powder keg of a region.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
This is how a group chat among young Republicans devolves into talk of loving Hitler.
—Laura K. Field, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 15 May 2026
What begins as a skeptical pursuit of Richard’s double quickly devolves into an all-consuming obsession, unraveling Clare’s grip on reality and pulling her into a liminal nightmare where she is suspended between the living and the dead.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 12 May 2026
What starts as democratic, orderly, cooperative and hopeful quickly devolves into something violent, tribal, primitive and utterly wild.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Unfortunately for her, Steve’s more than ready for the attack, and what begins as a perfect friendship, devolves into an all-out feud.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026
But when the goal of the endeavor shifts from listening to talking back, the project rapidly devolves into chaos.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
Iran’s future must be a secular republic grounded in pluralism, one that recognizes its multinational character, guarantees language and cultural rights, and devolves real power to regions.
—Jalil Pakray, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
Or, perhaps even more likely, Iran devolves into a morass, a chaotic power struggle that destabilizes the entire powder keg of a region.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
This is how a group chat among young Republicans devolves into talk of loving Hitler.
—Laura K. Field, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolves
Verb
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That is why a hedge here makes sense while markets sit near highs, VIX remains compressed near the high teens, and investors are still leaning heavily into a handful of leadership names as the macro backdrop deteriorates.—
Tony Zhang,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
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Hospitals use the same billing codes for the ER visit, whether a patient’s condition deteriorates or not.—
Andrew Jones,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Coppola’s Vietnam epic alongside Schlöndorff’s surreal story about a child who refuses to grow up as Europe descends into madness.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
-
In the film, biotechnology professor Se-jeong, played by Jun, attends an industry conference that descends into chaos after a rapidly mutating virus is released.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
That is the moment that everything crumbles for Rachel.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
-
Loyalty, betrayal, illness and war all bear down on the group as the old order crumbles around them.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This can create a cycle where stress worsens physical symptoms and, in turn, the symptoms increase stress and anxiety.—
Suchandrima Bhowmik,
Health,
15 May 2026
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The steps taken in the hours and days after receiving that notice can play a major role in determining how much income is protected, and, ultimately, whether the situation worsens or becomes more manageable.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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When a security system declines a valid purchase, the customer often abandons the cart and moves to a competitor.—
Ethan Stone,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
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Distribution revenue was $858 million as vs $870 million on net subscriber declines.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devolves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolves. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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