- present participle of develop.
developing
Americanadjective
-
undergoing development; growing; evolving.
-
(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.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of developing
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As they return for Enola Holmes 3, they say that off-screen friendship has helped them bring more ease and affection to Enola and Tewkesbury's developing relationship.
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026
They may also have greater optimism than others do that SpaceX can achieve its goals, which include sending rockets to Mars and developing into an artificial-intelligence powerhouse.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 26, 2026
Micron makes clear the shortage will last, but memory customers are developing workarounds.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026
The last decade has seen growth in developing countries stall, with the World Bank's Chief Economist Indermit Gill referring to it as a "lost decade" for many.
From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026
Belting or pushing a developing voice too far can be detrimental to the child’s voice, and can result in permanent damage.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
