How to Use devolve in a Sentence

devolve

verb
Definition of devolvenext
Synonyms for devolvenext
  • Somehow the debate devolved into a petty competition to see who could get more applause.
  • Community leaders hope that the new government will devolve more power to the community itself.
  • Responsibility has devolved to the individual teachers.
  • Since the coup, Myanmar has devolved into a state of civil war.
    — Sui-Lee Wee, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
  • Our society is devolving to the point that Democrats are provoking a civil war.
    — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 17 July 2024
  • Joseph, a doctor who attended the rally, saw firsthand how the event devolved into chaos and terror after gunshots rang out.
    — Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 14 July 2024
  • Russian state media boosted accounts saying that the United States had devolved into a third-world country.
    — Joseph Menn, Washington Post, 17 July 2024
  • But the conversation quickly devolved into talks of having a second baby, which the couple had differing opinions about.
    — Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 1 May 2024
  • Commissioners quickly devolved into arguments about the recall in the middle of the public comment period.
    — Tess Riski, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2024
  • What might have been an uplifting story of an immigrant who soared to the pinnacle of American wealth had devolved into a saga embroiling not just the siblings but their mother as well.
    — Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2024
  • If any protest can simply be excused under the law, no matter the damage caused to other people and society at large, the intended message devolves from a moral crusade into simple anarchy.
    — Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2024
  • It’s devolved this season, taking the fun out of the race.
    — Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2023
  • The two seemed to agree to meet for coffee, but the situation devolved yet again.
    — Stefan Becket, CBS News, 14 Nov. 2023
  • The night quickly devolves into a tricky game of cat-and-mouse as the two vie for control, power, and love.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 2 June 2023
  • And, a lot to lose if the situation devolves into a fight.
    — Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2023
  • Later, the guys talk how the bullpen has devolved into a null-pen and how pitching as a whole isn't getting the job done.
    — Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press, 10 Apr. 2023
  • And this whole thing has just sort of devolved into something that's kind of a head-scratcher.
    — Clark Collis, EW.com, 28 Apr. 2023
  • Since arriving at my home, the son’s prospects have devolved.
    — Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 16 May 2024
  • This whole thing has just sort of devolved into something that’s kind of a head-scratcher.
    — Steve Mollman, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2023
  • And something has devolved, and there’s no way to hear that and not try to help these families have their stories be heard.
    — Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2023
  • In the movie, Louise (Sarandon) and Thelma (Davis) embark on a road trip that quickly devolves into a crime spree.
    — Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 16 Oct. 2023
  • Still, the evening did not devolve into abject calamity.
    — Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 Nov. 2022
  • The years-long grudge the swans hold against their former friend devolves into a P.R. war to be won by whoever seems the least pathetic.
    — Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2024
  • Pierce and Puts both honor the characters’ love of words, no easy feat in a genre where language can devolve into a mush of vowels.
    — Vulture, 23 Nov. 2022
  • What initially appeared to be a fraud scheme gone wrong devolved into a story of abuse.
    — Michael Roppolo, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2023
  • With that, Anakin devolves into a red-eyed, Sith version of himself, red lightsaber and all, and strikes against Ahsoka once more.
    — Sydney Odman, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Sep. 2023
  • At one point, the discussion devolved into lewd references to the significance of the size of Trump’s hands.
    — Jonathan Weisman, BostonGlobe.com, 24 July 2023
  • But rather than face up to the task of tackling that two-state peace plan, Netanyahu forced Israelis to play a role in a strategic kabuki that devolved into a farce.
    — Ami Ayalon, Foreign Affairs, 31 Oct. 2023
  • Sarah provokes Bananas and things devolve quickly from there, causing Bananas to just get up and leave.
    — Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2023
  • And thanks to technology, the bystander effect has devolved over time.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 5 May 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'devolve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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