develop

verb

di-ˈve-ləp How to pronounce develop (audio)
Definition of developnext
1
as in to evolve
to gradually become clearer or more detailed as the story of the bombing developed, the scope of the tragedy became more apparent

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2
as in to acquire
to come to have gradually the youngster developed a taste for green olives

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to grow
to become mature the wine is developing nicely in the new oak barrels

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4
as in to expand
to express more fully and in greater detail marketing people developed the initial idea into a complete promotional campaign

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to forge
to produce or bring about especially by long or repeated effort outside consultants helped the company develop an effective marketing strategy

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of develop He's traded the freshwater lakes of Mississippi for the turquoise waters of the Bahamas, where he's developed a particular fondness for fly fishing. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026 While the initial Made By Her collection at Kingpins demonstrated the artisans’ capabilities, the mill is developing a sales mechanism to receive orders from brands. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026 The backstory Opened in 2013 and developed by Bitexco, the hotel was designed by architect Carlos Zapata, whose striking cantilevered building takes inspiration from Vietnam's dramatic coastline and the image of a dragon rising beside the water. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026 Pro-vaccine nonprofits have published accounts of life with measles before the vaccine was developed to show how harmful the virus can be. — Nicholas Florko, STAT, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for develop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for develop
  1. evolve
  2. acquire
  3. grow
  4. expand
  5. forge
  6. unfold
  7. cultivate
  8. progress
Verb
  • The wave function evolves over time in a way that’s dictated by Schrödinger’s equation, named for Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Dumas was intrigued as Hermès was dealing with a generational crisis of how to evolve the company without losing its core customers.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of evolve
Verb
  • In December 2024, Gersh acquired You First, a global sports representation and marketing agency, launching Gersh Sports.
    — Chris Russo, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As soon as the Miami Heat acquired two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason, the questions about Antetokounmpo’s fit alongside three-time All-Star center Bam Adebayo began.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of acquire
Verb
  • Japan considers China's rapidly growing military activities in and around Japan, including in the Pacific Ocean, as a threat and has fortified its southwestern region with longer-range missiles and interceptors in recent years.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Running Tide had struggled to grow kelp offshore at scale and shifted toward deployments of wood chips mixed with alkaline substances, said former general manager Kristinn Hróbjartsson.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of grow
Verb
  • An interceptor that can engage targets at greater distances could expand the area protected by existing air defense units.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Founded by three childhood friends, Olivier Bon, Pierre-Charles Cros, and Romée de Gorianoff, who were later joined by Xavier Padovani, the Experimental Group gradually expanded to encompass wine bars, restaurants, and boutique hotels.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of expand
Verb
  • Lightbulb was also accompanied by a kilonova, a bright surge of radiation involving oodles of neutrons—the very kind that could kick-start the r-process and forge all those heavy elements.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • It was forged by five carries, including a 33-yard touchdown run, by the revelation that is Kenneth Walker III.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of forge
Verb
  • Carlie Irsay-Gordon, owner and CEO of the Colts, issued a strong statement regarding why the decision to fire Ballard unfolded at this specific point of the regular season.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The common concern is what matters in the scene, and where the audience should be as that part of the story unfolds.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfold
Verb
  • Also known as cattails or typha, the plants can be cultivated through paludiculture, the farming of wetland crops on rewetted land.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • It may be meant to teach posture or independence, invite play, cultivate an appreciation of craft, or eventually become an heirloom.
    — Steven Weill, Architectural Digest, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of cultivate
Verb
  • Completing the flight test just weeks after a captive-carry event demonstrated how quickly the program progressed through its testing sequence.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • As work at the track progressed, one urgent mitigation project upriver lagged.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of progress

Browse Nearby Words

devastative
develop
developed
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Cite this Entry

“Develop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/develop. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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