develop
Americanverb (used with object)
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develops,
present (3rd person singular)
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developed,
past participle, past
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developing
present participle
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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.
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to cause to grow or expand.
to develop one's muscles.
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to elaborate or expand in detail.
to develop a theory.
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to bring into being or activity; generate; evolve.
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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.
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Biology.
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to cause to go through the process of natural evolution from a previous and lower stage.
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to cause to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.
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Mathematics. to express in an extended form, as in a series.
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Music. to unfold, by various technical means, the inherent possibilities of (a theme).
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Photography.
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to render visible (the latent image on an exposed film or the like).
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to treat (an exposed film or the like) with chemicals so as to render the latent image visible.
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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.
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Mining. to prepare (a new mine) for working by digging access openings and building necessary structures.
verb (used without object)
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develops,
present (3rd person singular)
-
developed,
past participle, past
-
developing
present participle
-
to grow into a more mature or advanced state; advance; expand.
She is developing into a good reporter.
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to come gradually into existence or operation; be evolved.
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to be disclosed; become evident or manifest.
The plot of the novel developed slowly.
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to undergo developing, as a photographic film.
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Biology.
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to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.
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to progress from earlier to later stages of ontogeny or phylogeny.
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to reach sexual maturity.
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verb
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to come or bring to a later or more advanced or expanded stage; grow or cause to grow gradually
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(tr) to elaborate or work out in detail
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to disclose or unfold (thoughts, a plot, etc) gradually or (of thoughts, etc) to be gradually disclosed or unfolded
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to come or bring into existence; generate or be generated
he developed a new faith in God
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to follow as a result (of); ensue (from)
a row developed following the chairman's remarks
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(tr) to contract (a disease or illness)
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(tr) to improve the value or change the use of (land), as by building
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(tr) to exploit or make available the natural resources of (a country or region)
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(tr) photog
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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
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to process (photographic material) in order to produce negatives and prints
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biology to progress or cause to progress from simple to complex stages in the growth of an individual or the evolution of a species
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(tr) to elaborate upon (a musical theme) by varying the melody, key, etc
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(tr) maths to expand (a function or expression) in the form of a series
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(tr) geometry to project or roll out (a surface) onto a plane without stretching or shrinking any element
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chess to bring (a piece) into play from its initial position on the back rank
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obsolete (tr) to disclose or reveal
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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developabilitynoun
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misdevelopverb
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predevelopverb
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developableadjective
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half-developedadjective
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hyperdevelopedadjective
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nondevelopableadjective
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undevelopableadjective
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well-developedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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developsimple
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developssimple
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have developedperfect
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has developedperfect
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am developingprogressive
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are developingprogressive
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is developingprogressive
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have been developingperfect progressive
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has been developingperfect progressive
Past
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developedsimple
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had developedperfect
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was developingprogressive
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were developingprogressive
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had been developingperfect progressive
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.
Vocabulary lists containing develop
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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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:
Alphabet’s Google will invest $15 billion in Malaysia over 2027 and 2028 to expand its digital infrastructure, develop local talent and support clean-energy and water initiatives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
During the quarter, Leonardo announced a multibillion-dollar contract to develop a new stealth fighter jet in a joint venture with BAE Systems and Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries under the Global Combat Air Program, or GCAP.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
Researchers could also develop materials capable of controlling magnetic behavior, manipulating light, or influencing chemical reactions with greater precision.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
His consummate professionalism, and apparent ability to develop into the complete player with age, means this can never be discounted.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
It helped him further develop his skills as an independent and strong leader.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
The polar vortex develops every autumn as temperatures fall in the Arctic.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Mr. Grant is one of the most charming human beings alive, and his voiceover narration as he develops from cad to dad is dryly hilarious.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
“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
Mr. Tullett develops the idea through individual aromas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Hearing develops from about 19 to 26 weeks of the pregnancy when the inner ear matures, and babies respond to voices and classical music by turning towards it and relaxing.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Together, they were the band's strongest material in years, combining the combustive power of their early, post-punk incarnation with the melodic sophistication they developed in the late 1980s.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Before the vaccine was developed in the early 1960s, measles killed hundreds of children each year in the US.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
He said Meiser had developed a rapport with many of the inmates.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Around mid-March, he said, a hole developed in his fractured lower right leg and a bone began protruding.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Besides, while I made dinner, I’d developed a plan to have Mamá “be home” that night, if not in body, then in spirit.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Innovators are using pharmaceutical industry techniques to create “bioidentical” cocoa-bean cells, developing the first bars made from experimental, lab-grown chocolate, reports Christopher Mims.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
As well as developing chemistry with his fellow pundits, Rooney has changed his appearance after committing to a healthier lifestyle through a fitness regime which involves games of padel and boxing training.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
A major focus of Lin's research is the APOE4 gene variant, which is associated with a substantially increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease later in life.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
Rockstar Games has spent eight years developing the sixth edition, a process beset by difficulties including the leak of development footage and code for the game online in 2022.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
In the 1970s, Goldman got involved with a group of mathematicians who were very interested in developing statistical rules for telling apart things like subatomic particles.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
