DEVOLVING Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

devolving

verb

present participle of devolve

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 With infernos burning so hot that water evaporates before even reaching the flames, firefighting operations are devolving, increasingly, into lifesaving operations. — John Vaillant, Time, 8 Aug. 2026 The question is whether the system can scale rules without devolving into chaos. — Michael Goshka, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 Unlike Starmer, Burnham has a clear narrative – devolving power away from London – running through his policies. — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 17 July 2026 The Sky still consider her day-to-day, but her absence reflects a growing tension between her needs as a veteran guard and the team’s rapidly devolving chances of competing this season. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026 With both nights devolving into chaos, Brooks and the other guys decide to call it quits on this gender experiment and plan to infiltrate the girls’ night and merge groups. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 July 2026 The danger then isn’t Hollywood merging with video games, but both devolving into transactional markets that no longer endeavor to keep us entertained — merely subscribed. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 July 2026 Another year growing and evolving and sometimes devolving, with you. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 16 June 2026 Your city is devolving into a lawless hell hole. — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolving

Verb

But even with its new foundation and sweeping ceiling, the history of the old, deteriorating barn won’t be lost.

— Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
In the four months before killing her three children and attempting to kill herself, Lindsay Clancy desperately sought help for her deteriorating mental condition.

— Tara Bannow, STAT, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of deteriorating

Verb

All this coastal media was descending on this small town and characterizing it in terms of this one really bad thing.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Reusable boosters use grid fins, which interact with the surrounding airflow to steer the descending rocket toward its target.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of descending

Verb

About 70% of Florida’s reef is crumbling without enough living coral to rebuild what’s lost to erosion.

— Nicolás Rivero, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
The clean demarcations between recreation and reality necessary to protect his previous subjects come crumbling down in the face of a larger-than-life figure like Ryan.

— Marshall Shaffer, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of crumbling

Verb

Parents, students, and educators raised concerns Wednesday night about Broward County Public Schools' proposal to close several schools as the district grapples with declining enrollment and significant funding shortfalls.

— Abby Dodge, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
Across the city and the country, declining attendance has idled many religious buildings, often leading to conversions.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of declining

Verb

Meanwhile, the club’s short-term assets total just €529m, making for negative working capital of €376m, a €110m worsening on a year earlier.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Tighter monetary policy typically implies having higher interest rates aimed at reining in inflation or preventing it from worsening.

— Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of worsening

Verb

Seemingly, the only thing that could slow down the automobile takeover was diminishing fuel supplies, fear of which had become a fixation of American oil companies and government officials after the Armistice.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
Having already weathered so many attacks aimed at diminishing its power, the remaining Iranian leadership, which learned to tolerate hardship in the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, is unlikely to be cowed by further aggression.

— JAMES F. JEFFREY, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of diminishing

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devolves

devolving

devote

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“Devolving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolving. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of devolving

verb

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