as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the once-lovely neighborhood has devolved into a squalid slum
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devolve
Swalwell’s campaign rapidly devolved over the weekend as allegations surfaced, prompting prominent lawmakers and organizations to rescind their endorsements and staffers to exit his campaign and office.
—
Julia Mueller, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026
By the movie’s end, the charming love story has devolved into a disorienting series of mind games.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
The exchange devolved into a shouting match that had to be broken up by assistant coaches and the officials, and Auriemma exited the court without going through the postgame handshake line.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
After that provocative setup, Dream Scenario unfortunately devolved into a feeble, simplistic cancel-culture satire.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devolve
Julia Mueller, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026
By the movie’s end, the charming love story has devolved into a disorienting series of mind games.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
The exchange devolved into a shouting match that had to be broken up by assistant coaches and the officials, and Auriemma exited the court without going through the postgame handshake line.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
After that provocative setup, Dream Scenario unfortunately devolved into a feeble, simplistic cancel-culture satire.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devolve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolve
Verb
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But the consequences of a destabilized Mali, compounded by the wider fallout from the Iran war, are unlikely to stop at its borders and threatens to deepen a deteriorating security crisis across one of the world’s most volatile regions.—
Ulf Laessing,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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The mammal’s health deteriorated as it became repeatedly stranded in shallow waters, and unsuccessful efforts to coax it toward deeper seas were livestreamed across the globe.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But despite that meeting, on Monday, more than 1,000 MAHA advocates will descend on the Supreme Court to protest the administration’s support for Bayer in a case on the handling of the herbicide glyphosate, the main chemical in RoundUp.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Apr. 2026
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The all-women Japanese promotion also performed in the Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort during the week as pro wrestling fans descended on the city ahead of WrestleMania 42.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That order is crumbling, and many of our former strengths built on our close ties to the United States have become our weaknesses.—
Keely Bastow,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
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The top of his head drilled Bona’s chest, and the Celtics guard crumbled to the court, holding his neck.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The scale and location of the development have drawn concern from some residents, who say the project could worsen traffic congestion and may not be affordable for middle-class families.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile, the global memory crisis has worsened, forcing tech giants to pay up for the capacity needed to satisfy their data center ambitions.—
Jordan Novet,Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Bovino, who led much of the immigration enforcement operation in Chicago and the suburbs, as well as in Minnesota before retiring this year amid criticism, declined to appear before the commission.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
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The Salt Lake County district attorney’s office and the Draper City prosecutor both declined to file charges against Paul in April, citing insufficient evidence to prove allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.—
Senior Television,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devolve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolve. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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