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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of devolve
Initially, Moscow’s invasion of its Western neighbor seemed distant and irrelevant to Pyongyang, but as the conflict devolved into a prolonged war of attrition, with trench warfare reminiscent of World War I, artillery and manpower became crucial.
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Andrei Lankov, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2024
Dinner with the Parents, from CBS Studios and Big Talk, centered on a weekly family get-together that always devolves into chaos.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Dec. 2024
But at one point, the hearing devolved into a heated yelling match between Rowe and Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas).
—Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
But even the good news devolves into more complaints about what isn’t going right.
—R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for devolve 
Andrei Lankov, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2024
Dinner with the Parents, from CBS Studios and Big Talk, centered on a weekly family get-together that always devolves into chaos.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Dec. 2024
But at one point, the hearing devolved into a heated yelling match between Rowe and Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas).
—Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
But even the good news devolves into more complaints about what isn’t going right.
—R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for devolve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolve
Verb
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But with the current war, the humanitarian situation in the camp has deteriorated, leading to the official confirmation of famine in August.Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 21 Dec. 2024
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The service said travel conditions could deteriorate enough to slow traffic, and evening commutes would be affected.Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In two weeks’ time, the best men’s tennis players in the world will descend on Melbourne for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the season and the first tennis milestone for 2025.Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
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With the Iowa State victory, Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht was named MVP and given the task of choosing which of the three Pop-Tarts mascots — cinnamon roll, hot fudge sundae, or wild berry — would descend into the giant toaster and come out as a giant edible celebration cake.Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The rest of the batting order crumbled as sure as night follows day.Tim Ellis, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
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Remaining schedule: at Titans Odds: To make playoffs: 100% | To earn bye: 0% | To win Super Bowl: 2.1% Pittsburgh Steelers The Steelers’ three-game losing streak is the longest among teams currently in the playoff field, and things have crumbled on both sides of the ball.Austin Mock, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Meteorologists are raising alarms over worsening polar vortex conditions that could bring extreme cold and widespread disruptions.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025
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That can be particularly tricky when dealing with mental illness, which can be fluid, with a patient improving slightly one day only to worsen the next.Maya Miller, ProPublica, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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After the remaining trio declined to renew Klein’s contract in 1973, Klein sued them.Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 1 Jan. 2025
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Demand for treatments like hip and knee replacements could decline over time as lighter bodies put less pressure on joints, some experts believe.Nathan Bomey, Axios, 1 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near devolve
Cite this Entry
“Devolve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolve. Accessed 7 Jan. 2025.
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