as in deteriorating
to become worse or of less value
the once-lovely neighborhood has devolved into a squalid slum
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Recent Examples of devolving
Tarr told his sweeping film in chapters, and the prolonged runtime was crucial to the story’s power, showing an entire world devolving into hopelessness and oblivion, practically in real time.
—
Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
Gemini spirals Google’s Gemini model series has developed a reputation online for occasionally devolving into self-loathing.
—Tharin Pillay, Time, 28 Dec. 2025
The horns, synthesizers, and guitars all crash in like an anvil — a musical climax to the song’s sultry lyrics — before devolving into free-jazz chaos.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Melissa developed into a Category 3 hurricane, before devolving to a Category 2 hurricane.
—Miami Herald Hurricane Bot, Miami Herald, 31 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
The cast of four supports the weight of the play together, balancing the intimate struggle of the family with the larger issues of the devolving world.
—Sophia Arndt, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Khosla is trying to prevent things from devolving into the sort of trouble that has surfaced at UCLA.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2025
Democratic societies function when citizens can handle disagreement without devolving into personal attacks.
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
Gemini spirals Google’s Gemini model series has developed a reputation online for occasionally devolving into self-loathing.
—Tharin Pillay, Time, 28 Dec. 2025
The horns, synthesizers, and guitars all crash in like an anvil — a musical climax to the song’s sultry lyrics — before devolving into free-jazz chaos.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Melissa developed into a Category 3 hurricane, before devolving to a Category 2 hurricane.
—Miami Herald Hurricane Bot, Miami Herald, 31 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
The cast of four supports the weight of the play together, balancing the intimate struggle of the family with the larger issues of the devolving world.
—Sophia Arndt, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Khosla is trying to prevent things from devolving into the sort of trouble that has surfaced at UCLA.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2025
Democratic societies function when citizens can handle disagreement without devolving into personal attacks.
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolving
Verb
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Cruz was responding to another post from Tehran Bureau, which cited a source inside Iran detailing what was described as a rapidly deteriorating situation on the ground as security forces continued to crack down on demonstrations.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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The Plough’s garden furniture is deteriorating, and an antique sign visible in the Cameron-Xi event is absent.—
Brendan Murray,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At one point, the plane quickly soared from 1,800 feet (550 meters) up to 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) before descending again.—
Josh Funk,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
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Tens of thousands of revelers will be descending on Gobbler’s Knob in rural Pennsylvania to witness this year’s prognostication, which will be made after groundhog Phil gets brought to the stage from his hatch on a tree stump.—
Mark Scolforo,
Fortune,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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American oil companies were reluctant to pour money into Venezuela given the country’s crumbling infrastructure, its history of political instability, and the cost of refining its low-quality reserves.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
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For years, students have complained of mold and crumbling conditions at the school.—
Dennis Valera,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The company‘s core broadband business continues declining as customers abandon cable for wireless 5G alternatives.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
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Arnaout believes the absence of Maher took a mental toll on Wael which led to his health declining.—
Nicquel Terry Ellis,
CNN Money,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Brin has committed $20 million to a new organization called Building a Better California, a political and policy effort aimed squarely at California’s worsening housing affordability problems, recent state disclosures show, as first reported by The New York Times.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
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The mills, for their part, cited crippling financial losses that were compounded by high borrowing costs and a worsening fuel deficit.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Scientists have hailed the benefits of exercising early in life to lower the risk of your brain degenerating later.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
29 Nov. 2025
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In the Pacific, meteorologists are watching to see how much rain the degenerating Tropical Storm Mario could carry into the San Diego region.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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From there, steamboats of diminishing sizes could make their way up the Mississippi, Ohio and Missouri rivers and smaller ones like the Tennessee, Arkansas and even the Wabash.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
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Which wouldn’t be such a bad outcome for most documentary films — arguably moviedom’s most beleaguered genre due to diminishing audience appetite at the multiplex level.—
Chris Lee,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devolving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolving. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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