developing

American  

[dih-vel-uh-ping] / dɪˈvɛl ə pɪŋ /

adjective

1. undergoing development; growing; evolving.

2. (of a nation or geographical area) having a standard of living or level of industrial production well below that possible with financial or technical aid; not yet highly industrialized.

   the developing world.

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Other Word Forms

• nondeveloping
  adjective
• self-developing
  adjective
• undeveloping
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of developing

First recorded in 1765–75; develop + -ing ²

Explanation

Use the adjective developing to describe a country that's relatively poor and has a lower standard of living than most other countries in the world. There's not a specific standard for calling a country developing, but there are some societies that most of the world agrees are less industrialized than most. Developing countries generally have poorer people and a less vibrant economy than more developed countries. Some countries object to being called developing, since it implies that all countries want to become "developed," or more Western in their economy and government, which is not necessarily true.

Example Sentences

Developing a robust offshore wind industry provides resilience in the face of an unstable global energy market.

From Salon • May 9, 2026

Developing AI responsibly constituted a key part of the pitch.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

Developing new antibiotics is expensive and slow, so identifying promising compounds from natural sources is an important step forward.

From Science Daily • Apr. 21, 2026

Developing countries in Asia, which get most of their LNG from the Gulf, are in a particularly difficult spot as they are being priced out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Developing more positive attitudes about teaching students with behavior disorders goes a long way to reduce the stress of teaching them.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Related Words

• booming
• burgeoning
• flourishing
• growing
• healthy
• prosperous
• robust
• wealthy