Showing results for develop. Search instead for codevelop.

Synonyms

develop

American

[dih-vel-uhp] / dɪˈvɛl əp /

verb (used with object)

to bring out the capabilities or possibilities of; bring to a more advanced or effective state.

to develop natural resources; to develop one's musical talent.
to cause to grow or expand.

to develop one's muscles.
to elaborate or expand in detail.

to develop a theory.
to bring into being or activity; generate; evolve.
Drafting. to transfer the details of (a more or less two-dimensional design, pattern, or the like) from one surface, especially one that is prismatic or cylindrical, onto another, usually planar, in such a way that the distances between points remain the same.
Biology.
1. to cause to go through the process of natural evolution from a previous and lower stage.
2. to cause to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.
Mathematics. to express in an extended form, as in a series.
Music. to unfold, by various technical means, the inherent possibilities of (a theme).
Photography.
1. to render visible (the latent image on an exposed film or the like).
2. to treat (an exposed film or the like) with chemicals so as to render the latent image visible.
Chess. to bring (a piece) into effective play, especially during the initial phase of a game when pieces are moved from their original position on the board.

He developed his rook by castling.
Mining. to prepare (a new mine) for working by digging access openings and building necessary structures.

verb (used without object)

to grow into a more mature or advanced state; advance; expand.

She is developing into a good reporter.
to come gradually into existence or operation; be evolved.
to be disclosed; become evident or manifest.

The plot of the novel developed slowly.
to undergo developing, as a photographic film.
Biology.
1. to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.
2. to progress from earlier to later stages of ontogeny or phylogeny.
3. to reach sexual maturity.

develop British

/ dɪˈvɛləp /

verb

to come or bring to a later or more advanced or expanded stage; grow or cause to grow gradually
(tr) to elaborate or work out in detail
to disclose or unfold (thoughts, a plot, etc) gradually or (of thoughts, etc) to be gradually disclosed or unfolded
to come or bring into existence; generate or be generated

he developed a new faith in God
to follow as a result (of); ensue (from)

a row developed following the chairman's remarks
(tr) to contract (a disease or illness)
(tr) to improve the value or change the use of (land), as by building
(tr) to exploit or make available the natural resources of (a country or region)
(tr) photog
1. to treat (film, plate, or paper previously exposed to light, or the latent image in such material) with chemical solutions in order to produce a visible image
2. to process (photographic material) in order to produce negatives and prints
biology to progress or cause to progress from simple to complex stages in the growth of an individual or the evolution of a species
(tr) to elaborate upon (a musical theme) by varying the melody, key, etc
(tr) maths to expand (a function or expression) in the form of a series
(tr) geometry to project or roll out (a surface) onto a plane without stretching or shrinking any element
chess to bring (a piece) into play from its initial position on the back rank
obsolete (tr) to disclose or reveal

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of develop

First recorded in 1585–95; from Middle French développer, Old French desveloper, equivalent to des- dis- ¹ ( def. ) + voloper “to wrap up”; see envelop ( def. )

Explanation

When something develops, it grows. And if you develop something, you create it. Your cold might develop into a rare disease, and you might just develop the vaccine to stop its spread. Develop is a verb that means to build up, grow, or improve gradually over time. A developer is someone who develops land into shopping malls, schools, and skyscrapers. The process can take months, but eventually they will transform a pile of dirt into a building. Many years ago, people would develop photographs by dipping them into various chemicals. As the pictures developed, an image would gradually appear.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing develop

The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

develop develops developed developing

Research on whether current or future AI systems could develop consciousness may further bolster the nascent AI rights movement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

Grøttland says artificial pitches allowed football to develop from a summer game to a year-round sport, turning Norway into a proper football nation.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

Abiy argued that military training could help develop leaders with a strong sense of purpose, responsibility and the ability to work together towards common objectives.

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026

These multiple star systems offer valuable opportunities to investigate how planets form, change over time, and potentially develop conditions suitable for life.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026

As always, the key is to practice the particular skills that you want to develop.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

“There is a scenario where AI, as it gains intelligence, also develops consciousness. But this is not inevitable,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

For decades, researchers have struggled to explain how this pattern develops.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2026

Mr. Tullett develops the idea through individual aromas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

Boston Scientific’s MedSurg business, which develops medical and surgical devices, reported 0.6% sales growth, while sales in its cardiovascular segment rose 1.9%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

Sometimes resistance develops so rapidly that the ink is scarcely dry on a report hailing successful control of a species with some specified chemical when an amended report has to be issued.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

As one of the most successful rappers in the world, Drake has developed an impressive real estate portfolio throughout his career.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026

In a second camp, Northern European countries have developed hybrid models that economists generally see as more sustainable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

Using the simulation results, the scientists developed a simplified theoretical model that successfully recreated both the rotation observed in the experiments and the accompanying increase in electrical current.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026

Bushra Tbakhi was in med school when she developed an unattractive, “creepy” itchy patch above one of her eyes.

From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026

Unlike Burr’s distinguished bloodline, which gave his aristocratic bearing its roots and biological rationale, Hamilton’s more dashing and consistently audacious style developed as a willful personal wager against the odds of his impoverished origins.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

The initiative is named after Martha Mills, who died aged 13 in 2021 after developing blood poisoning, or sepsis, in hospital following a bike accident.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

“If it is possible, based on everything I know, developing conscious AIs would be reckless, and we should not build them,” Suleyman wrote.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

Researchers found that people who consumed tea regularly had a lower risk of developing several vascular diseases compared with those who did not drink tea.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026

The government says it is promoting employment by offering vocational training, subsidizing companies that hire recent college graduates and developing new jobs for the AI era.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

The fact that I’m developing “reality criteria” is a good thing as far as he’s concerned.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023