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
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
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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In the last 28 years, Alaska's rural school districts have made close to 1,800 requests to the state for money to maintain and repair deteriorating schools, but only 14% of those requests have been approved.—
Emily Schwing,
NPR,
10 Nov. 2025
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Fiserv attributed its slowing growth to Argentina’s deteriorating economic environment, as the country last year contributed 10 percentage points to Fiserv’s 16% organic growth rate.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The trail stays level early on and crosses the road a couple of times before descending through a grove of Arizona cypress to a shallow drainage.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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The Senate’s negotiations on reopening the government are descending into another impasse.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The ensuing 2022-23 season saw Rayo beat both Barca and Madrid when Spain’s big two came to their crumbling Estadio Vallecas.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Frank’s crew rolls into the crumbling squat that is Colombian HQ, sporting body armor and flamethrowers.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Autophagy means detecting and removing cells that are declining in functional capacity and replacing them with new cells.—
Bryant Stamford,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Nov. 2025
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However, Gallup's polling also shows declining support among Republicans.—
Jason Lemon,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Concerns around valuations in the artificial intelligence trade, along with worsening consumer sentiment, put a dent in equities last week.—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
10 Nov. 2025
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In adults and in children, taking too much melatonin can interfere with the body’s circadian rhythm, potentially worsening sleep or having other effects.—
Veronique Greenwood,
Time,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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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Before the night was out, Germans began chipping away at the barrier, carrying off chunks of one of the symbols of the diminishing Iron Curtain.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
9 Nov. 2025
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Business leaders say that such policies risk accelerating an exodus of companies, diminishing the city’s commercial tax base, and ultimately affecting services and jobs essential to millions of New Yorkers.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devolving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolving. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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