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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of devolving 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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolving

Verb

Due to deteriorating air quality, Philadelphia city officials suspended trash pickup and closed public pools Friday.

— Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 17 July 2026
That creative momentum sits against a deteriorating financial picture.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 July 2026

Definition of deteriorating

Verb

Now, with a heat wave descending over much of Southern California, residents worry the odor could get even worse and scores of residents have called air quality regulators to complain.

— Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Guests descending into the speakeasy can look through the modern staircase to see the original structure preserved beneath it, offering a glimpse into the older bones of the building.

— Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 11 July 2026

Definition of descending

Verb

These properties have enabled the likes of the Pantheon, ancient Roman aqueducts, and even parts of the Colosseum to survive two millennia, while some Brutalist buildings from the 1960s that were made from modern concrete are crumbling.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 July 2026
Throughout the album, mary in the junkyard shift constantly, moving from crumbling atmospheric experiments to cloudy Pacific Northwest indie rock to the kind of straightforward classical guitar poems of Leonard Cohen’s early albums.

— Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 7 July 2026

Definition of crumbling

Verb

The worsening air quality means significant changes to his daily routine.

— Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
The trouble with fires and climate change But Silicon Valley’s rush to deploy newer AI models has also come with considerable climate costs that are linked to a worsening wildfire problem.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026

Definition of worsening

Verb

Weakening high pressure to our east is slowly reducing scorching hot temperatures from earlier this week and diminishing the monsoonal moisture that provided unseasonable rain showers and thunderstorms.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
In Miami-Dade, the transit system faces financial woes Aside from diminishing Miami-Dade’s transit ambitions, the Levine Cava plan also highlights the dire financial picture facing mass transit in the county.

— Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026

Definition of diminishing

Browse Nearby Words

devolves

devolving

devote

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Devolving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolving. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of devolving

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on devolving

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

raffish

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes