evolve

verb

i-ˈvälv 

-ˈvȯlv,

ē-,

 also  -ˈväv,

 or  -ˈvȯv

evolved; evolving

transitive verb

1

: emit

2

a

: derive, educe

b

: to produce by natural evolutionary processes

c

: develop, work out

evolve social, political, and literary philosophies

—L. W. Doob

intransitive verb

: to undergo evolutionary change

evolvable

i-ˈväl-və-bəl 

-ˈvȯl-

ē-

 also  -ˈvä-və-

 or  -ˈvȯ-və-

adjective

evolvement

i-ˈvälv-mənt 

-ˈvȯlv-

ē-

 also  -ˈväv-

 or  -ˈvȯv-

noun

Synonyms

• develop
• elaborate
• unfold

Examples of evolve in a Sentence

Her company has evolved from a hobby into a thriving business.

Some flowers have evolved remarkable means of insect pollination.

Recent Examples on the Web

Kangaroo beginnings… and endings Kangaroos evolved from a possum-like ancestor some 20 million years ago. —Ari Daniel, NPR, 12 Jan. 2025

Prime Video’s production, tech, and engineering teams visited Tel Aviv, Israel, last year to start the process, which continues to evolve. —Joe Reedy, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025

Host a get-together over the weekend and introduce your pals from different walks of life to each other that might help each other evolve professionally. —Lisa Stardust, People.com, 11 Jan. 2025

The post-Cold War era of America as sole superpower has evolved into a multipolar world where the United States confronts an alliance of autocracies that believe liberal democracy is a dying political system — even as many Americans have lost faith in their institutions. —Trudy Rubin, The Mercury News, 11 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin ēvolvere "to roll out or away, unwind, unroll, narrate (a series of events)," from ē-, variant of ex- ex- entry 1 before voiced consonants + volvere "to set in a circular course, cause to roll, bring round" — more at wallow entry 1

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

evolve

verb

i-ˈvälv 

-ˈvȯlv

evolved; evolving

1

: to develop or work out from something else

evolved a new plan

evolved a safer design from the old one

2

: to produce by a process of evolution

3

: to change by a process of evolution

evolvable

i-ˈväl-və-bəl 

-ˈvȯl-

adjective

Medical Definition

evolve

verb

i-ˈvälv, -ˈvȯlv 

evolved; evolving

transitive verb

: to produce by natural evolutionary processes

intransitive verb

: to develop by or as if by evolution : undergo evolutionary change

an evolving theory of mental functioning

—S. A. Green