as in deteriorated
to become worse or of less value
the once-lovely neighborhood has devolved into a squalid slum
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Recent Examples of devolved
By then, the match had devolved into madness.
—
Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
The morning commute in Oak Park devolved into chaos Friday morning when a motorist speeding on Harlem Avenue crashed into several vehicles including a Pace bus, sending 11 people to area hospitals, village officials said.
—Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Liking became fixation, watching became safeguarding, asking turned to prosecution, trying devolved to optimizing, noticing twisted into diagnosis.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
My efficient morning quickly devolved into a stressful affair of jumper cables and the realization that my 2008 Hyundai Sonata may not be long for this world.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
The situation devolved into chaos astonishingly quickly.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
The operations of the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, which is part of DHS, have rapidly devolved as unpaid workers call out sick with greater frequency.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Gilmore acknowledged that there’s been a certain amount of de-escalation since the years immediately after the pandemic, when school board meetings across the country devolved into shouting matches over mask requirements and critical race theory.
—Silas Allen, Dallas Morning News, 24 Mar. 2026
More than one question-and-answer session devolved into a sparring match.
—Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
The morning commute in Oak Park devolved into chaos Friday morning when a motorist speeding on Harlem Avenue crashed into several vehicles including a Pace bus, sending 11 people to area hospitals, village officials said.
—Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Liking became fixation, watching became safeguarding, asking turned to prosecution, trying devolved to optimizing, noticing twisted into diagnosis.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
My efficient morning quickly devolved into a stressful affair of jumper cables and the realization that my 2008 Hyundai Sonata may not be long for this world.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
The situation devolved into chaos astonishingly quickly.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
The operations of the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, which is part of DHS, have rapidly devolved as unpaid workers call out sick with greater frequency.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Gilmore acknowledged that there’s been a certain amount of de-escalation since the years immediately after the pandemic, when school board meetings across the country devolved into shouting matches over mask requirements and critical race theory.
—Silas Allen, Dallas Morning News, 24 Mar. 2026
More than one question-and-answer session devolved into a sparring match.
—Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devolved
Verb
-
Kuo believes the question of unification will inevitably be resolved during Xi’s tenure, but is concerned Xi will opt for a more aggressive approach, such as a blockade or invasion, as relations between Beijing and Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party have deteriorated.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Last week, Narges was finally allowed a brief visit with her sister and two lawyers, who were alarmed at how rapidly her health had deteriorated.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As word spread through the federal bureaucracy Monday that Transportation Security Administration workers were getting some back pay, a collective gloom descended on a Coast Guard administrative office, a Coast Guard worker, who asked not to be identified told NBC News.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
1 Apr. 2026
-
According to the Pineview Police Department, the three men descended onto Pippen's South Florida mansion on Sunday.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This story is told by an unnamed narrator, an irreligious woman who has joined the nuns as a lay resident after her faith in environmental advocacy crumbled.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Dozens of cars have been trapped in a parking garage since the concrete crumbled on Monday afternoon.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For Lamar, who now has a tattoo on his chest to honor his younger son, the loss also worsened his struggle with addiction.—
Currie Engel,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The rapid loss of snow is also affecting the Colorado River, another major water source for Southern California, which has shrunk over the last quarter-century during a megadrought worsened by rising temperatures.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ndiaye also declined to clear the ball, instead trying to thread a pass to retreating teammate Jake Dengler inside the 18-yard box.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In some places, fish catches declined precipitously in medium depths, which Joye attributes to nutritionally barren conditions.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After a police operation in Rio de Janeiro in October degenerated into a chaotic shootout, leading to more than 120 deaths, Brazilian civil society groups reacted in horror.—
Brian Winter,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
-
Our national political and cultural discourse, especially online, has degenerated into a permanent fever dream.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
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More elderly people could find themselves at the mercy of an obscure government program meant to save them from harm and preserve their dignity when their ability to take care of themselves is diminished.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
But with the chances of a Fed rate cut later this year highly diminished now and, with the reality that a cut (if it is issued) is likely to be by just 25 basis points, these estimates are unlikely to change dramatically, either.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devolved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devolved. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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