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
In moments like these, KAVARI carves intricate filigrees out of monolithic blocks of sound, keeping the spiky moments from devolving into overly indulgent harsh noise (for fans of the latter, try her side project EEL BLOOD).
—
James Gui, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
Negotiations over government funding are devolving into taunts and partisan posturing as Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and his Democratic counterpart in the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), assign early blame for an imminent shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 4 Feb. 2026
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
James Gui, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
Negotiations over government funding are devolving into taunts and partisan posturing as Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and his Democratic counterpart in the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), assign early blame for an imminent shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 4 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolving
Verb
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Meanwhile, the situation on the island is deteriorating quickly.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
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The latest round of talks also come in the aftermath of a major anti-regime uprising in Iran, in which protests -- initially sparked by the deteriorating economic conditions inside the country -- spread nationwide.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Antibus said forecasters at the Sierra Avalanche Center are concerned about a swath of people descending into the backcountry’s slopes and triggering numerous avalanches.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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Buyers, sellers, and everyone in between are descending on the capital in decent spirits, seeking out the next big thing.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Complaints are growing in the Northern California city of Roseville over crumbling walkways, dead trees, and broken soundwalls.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
21 Feb. 2026
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Once the blocks and spires of Palma faded into the distance, the 25-minute drive from the airport took me past crumbling homes, fields of curious farm animals, and not a soul in sight for miles at a time.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Trump has broken with custom by declining to invite all governors to the traditional White House meeting and dinner.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
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Today, magnet programs have become a general recruitment strategy in a school system with declining enrollment.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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International airlines are suspending flights to Cuba as the nation continues to face a worsening fuel shortage.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
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Poor and minority communities face worsening health risks including cancer, asthma and extreme heat exposure from industrial facilities and climate change impacts.—
Dorany Pineda,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 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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Our light is now diminishing from a vibrant flame to only a flicker of light, and the world is watching our demise.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
20 Feb. 2026
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Read the story » More Top Stories David Remnick speaks with Conan O’Brien about prepping for the Oscars, the diminishing relevance of late-night TV, and the loss of his close friends Rob and Michele Reiner.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devolving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolving. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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