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.
"He's still only 19 and he's still very much developing," said Laurens.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
“Several of the initiatives we identified as drivers of future earnings growth are developing more favorably than originally expected,” Goncalves said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
Another positive for the team: Tyronn Lue is a proven asset as coach and he’ll be tasked with developing and blending in the younger players.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
China is focused on developing undersea sensors, weapons and autonomous vehicles to counter US submarines, the US Navy's intelligence director told a US government committee in May.
From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026
“Over the years, I’ve noticed that developing ideas usually requires some time. Sometimes you have to mull things over for a bit to get what you’re really after.”
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
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