develop

[ dih-vel-uhp ]

/ dɪˈvɛl əp /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: develop / developed / developing / develops on Thesaurus.com

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.

to cause to go through the process of natural evolution from a previous and lower stage.
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.

to render visible (the latent image on an exposed film or the like).
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.

to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.
to progress from earlier to later stages of ontogeny or phylogeny.
to reach sexual maturity.

QUIZ

FIRE UP YOUR VOCAB FOR A "RED" SYNONYMS QUIZ

No fire engine reds here, only a fierce collection of vibrant words for the color red to test yourself on.

Question 1 of 7

What does "amaranth" mean?

a legendary stone of impenetrable hardness

an imaginary, undying flower

a mythical creature

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of develop

1585–95; <Middle French développer,Old French desveloper, equivalent to des-dis-¹ + voloper to wrap up; see envelop

OTHER WORDS FROM develop

de·vel·op·a·ble, adjectivede·vel·op·a·bil·i·ty, nounhalf-de·vel·oped, adjectivehy·per·de·vel·oped, adjective

mis·de·vel·op, verbnon·de·vel·op·a·ble, adjectivepre·de·vel·op, verbun·de·vel·op·a·ble, adjectivewell-de·vel·oped, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use develop in a sentence

Nam has developed a personal style that she considers key to her vast following.
Use TikTok to build the perfect workout|Sandra Gutierrez G.|September 17, 2020|Popular-Science
The company, which participated in TechCrunch Disrupt’s 2020 Startup Battlefield competition, has developed a novel way to get diesel style engines to operate on renewable fuels like ethanol.
ClearFlame Engine Technologies takes aim at cleaning up diesel engines|Kirsten Korosec|September 17, 2020|TechCrunch
He and Moore also remained friends, but began to develop romantic feelings for each other.
WNBA Player Maya Moore Marries Jonathan Irons, The Man She Helped Free From Prison|Jasmine Grant|September 17, 2020|Essence.com
People around the globe need outreach to prepare them to understand and accept a vaccine, she says, and that needs to start now so when a vaccine is developed, people are willing to get it.
A coronavirus vaccine will save more lives if we share it widely|Kat Eschner|September 17, 2020|Popular-Science

In forested towns prone to fire and floods, it may be necessary for people to eventually move to more-developed areas.
California wildfires may give way to massive mudslides|Ula Chrobak|September 17, 2020|Popular-Science
Rates are thought to be similar in developed countries around the world.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models|Carrie Arnold|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Four weeks after the injections, all 20 of the participants had developed the antibodies needed to stave off the infection.
The Race for the Ebola Vaccine|Abby Haglage|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Family members say he developed also liver cancer after his capture.
Final Chapter for Accused Africa Bomber|Jamie Dettmer|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A lot of actors are good, but Phil was a fully developed artist.
Coffee Talk with Ethan Hawke: On ‘Boyhood,’ Jennifer Lawrence, and Bill Clinton’s Urinal Exchange|Marlow Stern|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Similar reinforced plinths were developed by the Getty museums in Los Angeles to absorb the seismic movements there.
Florence Preps ‘David’ for the Big One|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A constant sense of easy balance should be developed through poising exercises.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
It wasn't far, so we kept on, and presently it developed that we had accidentally come upon old Piegan Smith.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
In a general way the fronds are best collected during the summer and autumn, when they will, of course, be well developed.
How to Know the Ferns|S. Leonard Bastin
There was a while when I developed a marvelous capacity for dodging invitations to Fort Walsh.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
Nothing was out of the ordinary except that the Professor developed an odd trick of continually glancing at his right hand.
Uncanny Tales|Various

British Dictionary definitions for develop

develop

/ (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 generatedhe developed a new faith in God

(intr often foll by from) 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

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
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

(tr) obsolete to disclose or reveal

Derived forms of develop

developable, adjective

Word Origin for develop

C19: from Old French desveloper to unwrap, from des- dis- 1 + veloper to wrap; see envelop

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

Medical definitions for develop

develop

[ dĭ-vĕl′əp ]

To progress from earlier to later stages of a life cycle.

To progress from earlier to later or from simpler to more complex stages of evolution.

To aid in the growth of; strengthen.

To grow by degrees into a more advanced or mature state.

To become affected with a disease; contract.

develop

Origin of develop

OTHER WORDS FROM develop

Words related to develop

How to use develop in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for develop

Derived forms of develop

Word Origin for develop

Medical definitions for develop