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
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
Last year’s conflict with Israel laid bare weaknesses in Iran’s command structures under pressure, with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reportedly becoming increasingly hard to reach and authority devolving to provincial governors.
—Farida Elsebai, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
One of his chief concerns is that governments and regulators are struggling to keep pace with the technology’s rapid rollout, leaving the private sector locked in a race to the finish that risks devolving into the kind of perilous competition not seen since the height of the Cold War.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2026
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
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
Last year’s conflict with Israel laid bare weaknesses in Iran’s command structures under pressure, with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reportedly becoming increasingly hard to reach and authority devolving to provincial governors.
—Farida Elsebai, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
One of his chief concerns is that governments and regulators are struggling to keep pace with the technology’s rapid rollout, leaving the private sector locked in a race to the finish that risks devolving into the kind of perilous competition not seen since the height of the Cold War.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolving
Verb
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The Boyd window has undergone conservation in the past, including restoration work in the 1990s to address deteriorating elements.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
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The film resurfaced after a collection of deteriorating nitrate reels was submitted to the Library of Congress by a Michigan man who inherited them from his great-grandfather.—
Ryan Brennan,
Sacbee.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After separation, the weapon follows a steep ballistic trajectory, descending at high velocity toward its target.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Apr. 2026
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That, of course, can’t last forever, and soon enough, the entire family is descending on Malcolm’s life, turning it upside down.—
Stuart Miller,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Proponents of the extensions say the country remains wracked by gang violence and crumbling medical infrastructure.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2026
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The money is expected to now be invested in the island’s crumbling power grid, which was razed by Hurricane Maria in 2017 but was already deteriorated given a lack of investment and maintenance.—
Dánica Coto,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office also reviewed evidence from West Jordan before declining to file charges.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
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Birth rates and fertility trends The administration is overhauling Title X in the context of declining birth rates.—
Dr. Céline Gounder,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Alice Ribes, emergency country director for the International Rescue Committee in Haiti, said millions continue to face a worsening crisis marked by escalating violence, hunger and starvation, forced displacement of people from their homes and outbreaks of disease.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
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Flooding is worsening in parts of Michigan on Friday, with rivers still rising in some parts and receding in others.—
Terrance Friday,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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.—
Ryan Conner,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
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Murray can breathe a sigh of relief that Nickeil Alexander-Walker left Minnesota for greener pastures in free agency last summer, diminishing the Wolves’ on-ball defensive firepower.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
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Opposition parties warn that basing constituencies on population could shift political power toward faster-growing northern states, while diminishing the parliamentary representation, seat share and overall influence of southern regions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devolving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolving. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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