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
Your city is devolving into a lawless hell hole.
—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
Advertisement In 2024, Burnham co-authored a book alongside Steve Rotheram, the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, arguing that inequality is best addressed by devolving more power to local governments that better understand the needs of their communities.
—
Tiago Ventura,
Time,
15 May 2026
At a time when American politics was devolving from statesmanship to showmanship and the tone of discourse was becoming cruel, former Governor Larry Hogan set an example of calm and thoughtful leadership.
—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
3 May 2026
These flashes of melancholy or yearning give the record complexity and depth, as well as stopping it from devolving into wackiness.
—
Alastair Shuttleworth,
Pitchfork,
2 May 2026
And situations like that are becoming the norm in the NBA playoffs – which are quickly evolving into a war of attrition … or, perhaps devolving is a better word.
—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
But instead of paving the way for some good ol’ fashioned infidelity, the liquid courage causes the women to turn on each other, with the evening devolving into inebriated insults and recriminations.
—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Keeping it fresh How has a band that’s been together for more than 50 years managed to remain a creative force without burning out, splitting up or devolving into little more than a human jukebox pumping out nostalgia?
—
Marc Ballon,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
The commission must reject devolving veto authority to cities.
—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
Advertisement In 2024, Burnham co-authored a book alongside Steve Rotheram, the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, arguing that inequality is best addressed by devolving more power to local governments that better understand the needs of their communities.
—
Tiago Ventura,
Time,
15 May 2026
At a time when American politics was devolving from statesmanship to showmanship and the tone of discourse was becoming cruel, former Governor Larry Hogan set an example of calm and thoughtful leadership.
—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
3 May 2026
These flashes of melancholy or yearning give the record complexity and depth, as well as stopping it from devolving into wackiness.
—
Alastair Shuttleworth,
Pitchfork,
2 May 2026
And situations like that are becoming the norm in the NBA playoffs – which are quickly evolving into a war of attrition … or, perhaps devolving is a better word.
—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
But instead of paving the way for some good ol’ fashioned infidelity, the liquid courage causes the women to turn on each other, with the evening devolving into inebriated insults and recriminations.
—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Keeping it fresh How has a band that’s been together for more than 50 years managed to remain a creative force without burning out, splitting up or devolving into little more than a human jukebox pumping out nostalgia?
—
Marc Ballon,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
The commission must reject devolving veto authority to cities.
—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolving
Verb
-
That enables Cadence’s system, which is supervised by physicians, to alert a clinician when a patient is deteriorating before a stroke or heart attack, for example.
-
By the time the kids make it to the Gullet, the situation is deteriorating.
Verb
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Brigitte Chevalier built Domaine de Cébène around that principle, choosing north-facing parcels beneath mountains rising to 1,100 meters, where descending cool air pushes her harvest as much as two weeks later than vineyards on the coast 40 kilometers away.
-
The steeply descending main street of Haworth is filled with tea shops, pubs and stores clearly dedicated to pleasing Brontë pilgrims, but its basic form, including the original stationery store where the sisters once bought their paper, remains the same.
Verb
-
Rather than crumbling after allowing the first-minute goal, Scotland has settled down and given itself a chance to get back into the game rather than conceded a quick, second goal.
-
The third project in Wilmington, near the Port of Los Angeles, would have fixed crumbling sidewalks and added high-visibility crosswalks.
Verb
-
With only a week of freedom under his belt, Cribbs said Powell is declining interviews for now, reentering the world with some trepidation.
-
Investors must focus on forward-looking changes and a clear path for value realization, understanding that a declining stock isn't safer if its intrinsic value falls faster.
Verb
-
The film’s core narrative was that climate change is driving ever-worsening disasters, such as floods, droughts, storms and wildfires.
-
The drone attacks are worsening fuel shortages, with people reporting rising prices and long queues at the filling stations.
Verb
-
McFarland found the items inside a degenerating family trunk.
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But in general, any organic media is going to start degenerating over time, and the pH is going to be higher.
Verb
-
Not even a hint of repercussions for diminishing the integrity of the event.
-
The 23-page analysis also pointed to escalating public health and social services costs, declining investments in capital improvements and an outsized reliance on state and federal tax dollars as drivers of the county’s diminishing financial health.
Cite this Entry
“Devolving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolving. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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